


A Different Life

by Joy4Life



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:54:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 29,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28582314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joy4Life/pseuds/Joy4Life
Summary: "You might want to keep me around." She never expected him to actually do it. She just wanted to buy some time. But days turned to weeks, and weeks turned into months. It was then she realized she had bought far too much time.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This story originated on FanFiction and currently has twenty chapters. I am in the process of adding them to this site as well. This story is not finished yet, and my updates are usually a few months apart. Life is crazy :)
> 
> I am a firm believer in letting the characters write the story. Sometimes, things get dark. If that makes you uncomfortable, you should not read this story. You'll hate some chapters. That's totally fine. I hated writing some chapters. But I wanted to tell a story that was accurate for both characters, even if one of them is a psychopath. All feedback is most welcome.

Her stomach lurched and her free hand reached for the trash can. She gagged a few times but nothing came up. She felt like she had been hit by a truck. The trash can landed back on the floor with a thud. At least she had one this time.

Olivia rolled her eyes and buried her head into her arm. That's what happens when you spend four months with William Lewis. You become grateful for a trash can. The little things that made life suck just a tiny bit less. Things like a blanket, a bottle of water...an empty roll of duct tape. She looked down and frowned at the thick tape binding her legs. It had been awhile since he ran out of duct tape.

Her eyes scanned across the pale yellow bedroom. Rope and knives laid on top of the gray dresser, cans of 5 Krazy littered the floor, and broken glass glittered in the corner. The room's condition left no doubt that violence had occurred. Olivia closed her eyes as the moments started to play back in her head.

Glowing wire melting her skin. Sharp knives slicing into her like a cheese grater. Hoarse cries filling the room. Metal cutting into her scarred wrists, pain radiating down her arms. The pain was too intense. She needed him to stop. She needed the pain to stop. But it never did.

Olivia cringed at the memories, hating each one of them. She shifted on the bed, trying to find a comfortable spot. She shook her head in an attempt to clear the flashbacks. Maybe she could catch some sleep before he came back.

"Hey sweetheart. Feeling better this morning?"

Olivia felt her heart sink. So much for that idea. She kept her eyes closed, hoping he would leave her alone.

"Time to get up, sweetheart." His tone was flat. "I know you're awake. Don't play me."

Olivia reluctantly opened her sluggish eyes and found Lewis glowering at her.

"You look awful." Lewis looked down at the partially full trash can with disdain.

Olivia started to retort this was his fault - not hers, but the anger in his eyes made her rethink that decision. She had learned to choose her battles, and making Lewis mad when he was clearly already disgruntled would not end well for her.

Lewis moved the trash can and reached for Olivia. "Let's clean you up."

The handcuffs attaching her left wrist to the bed frame rattled as Lewis pulled her to a sitting position. Her arm slowly came to life, pins and needles attacking it from the shoulder down.

Lewis freed her from the bed post and pulled her arms behind her back. Olivia winced as the handcuffs clicked tightly in place.

He kneeled in front of her and brought out his knife. She froze at the cold blade sliding against her skin.

A rip sounded as Lewis sliced the duct tape in half, freeing her legs. She let out a small grunt of pain as Lewis tore it off her bare legs faster than most people rip off a bandaid.

Lewis looked up at her, his eyes seeming to battle between mischief and anger. "Can't very well clean you up like that."

Olivia eyed the knife in his hand. "Maybe you could take the cuffs off, and I could save you the trouble."

Lewis narrowed his eyes. "You know better than that."

Yes. Yes, she did know better. But the idea of Lewis cleaning her up made her anxious to try any alternative.

Lewis pulled Olivia to her feet, holding the knife at her throat. "Don't move." His eyes were hard, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Olivia winced as the knife tore through her baggy shirt. The cold air slid over her like an ice cube. Shame heated her face. Even after all this time, she still felt so humiliated at being stripped.

Lewis scanned her naked body before shoving her towards the bathroom. He pushed her with purpose, firmly closing the bathroom door behind them.

"Get in," Lewis muttered, shoving her into the shower. He fumbled with the faucet, and Olivia suddenly felt a jet of ice water pelt her face.

Sputtering under the water, she glared daggers at him. Lewis frowned at her before focusing back on the faucet.

After a few minutes, the water began to thaw. Lewis straightened, seemingly satisfied with the toasty temperature. "Turn around." Lewis met her tired eyes. "Now."

Olivia studied him. It seemed anger had won this round. She thought about making a run for it but saw he was now holding the gun. How long had he been holding it? She thought he had a knife? The cobwebs in her head made it difficult to think.

Lewis made a growl of impatience and grabbed her arm.

Olivia didn't fight him, there was no point. She closed her eyes against the dizziness as he turned her around. She was so tired. Her eyes blinked open and lowered to her rounding figure. She was starting to show. Her chest tightened as a wave of guilt crashed over her shoulders. She never knew how to feel about this. She gave up on having a baby years ago. To have it come true now, to share that dream with someone so vile as William Lewis was more painful than the physical torture she endured.

Lewis stepped into the shower behind her, snapping her out of her thoughts. Olivia groaned as his bare chest made contact with her back. Not again.

Almost tenderly, Lewis washed her from head to toe. Slowly, the sweat and vomit were wiped away. Olivia noted that dark red also swirled into the drain. Her brow furrowed as she searched her mind for where the blood could be coming from.

She felt his hands on her back. Olivia recoiled at his warm breath tickling her ear. "Junior give you a rough time last night?" Lewis chuckled. "Guess he takes after his daddy."

Her stomach rolled. She wasn't sure if it was the morning sickness or the idea she could have his son inside her. Olivia frowned. Whatever the case, he did have a point. Whether it was a boy or a girl, the baby was taking its toll. Her stomach was on a roller coaster of starvation and nausea. Nothing tasted good. Everything gave her indigestion, and her eyes burned with a lack of sleep.

Lewis ran his fingers through her hair, brushing it to the side. His warm lips grazed her neck. "I can make that up to you." He twisted her around and trapped her in the corner of the shower. He smirked at her anxious expression.

Olivia swallowed hard, not sure what he was planning. He brought his face close to hers, anger returning to his eyes. "One move and I'll get the blowtorch."

The color left her face. Blistered skin, charred flesh, the searing pain, it all came flooding back. She had no desire to experience it again.

Lewis kept one arm against her neck, his eyes never leaving her face. He knew she would behave. The blowtorch was more effective than the gun.

Olivia set her jaw as he explored her body. She could endure this just as she had before. She started counting the blue diamonds on the bathroom wall, trying to distract herself from the hand sliding across her breasts. She bit back a cry of pain as he broke open a healing burn.

Lewis leaned in and kissed her check. His lips moved against her skin before finding her mouth. Olivia was much too exhausted to fight him, and she had no interest in meeting the blowtorch. So when his tongue slid against her lips, she opened her mouth to grant him access.

Just survive. Do what you have to do to survive. She had said it to so many victims. She never dreamed it would be this hard. Never dreamed she would have to live it.

Lewis continued to explore her mouth with his tongue, sliding his free hand down her front. Olivia moaned against him as he reached her core. Everything in her screamed to shove her knee into his groin and run for her life, but a calm voice in her head reasoned she had tried that before. With hands cuffed behind her and no access to the gun, she would lose that fight. If she was going to make it out of this, she had to have her hands. She had to have the gun.

Olivia twisted her head away from his lips, unable to bare this double violation any longer. Her breathing deepened as another moan passed through her clenched teeth. Lewis pulled her closer. "You like that sweetheart?"

"Go to hell!" Olivia tried to twist away from his probing fingers.

Lewis held her firmly in place, his eyes shining in delight. "You do like that."

She started to cry as the sensation deepened. "Please," her voice broke.

"Sh...you're okay baby." Lewis slid two fingers inside her and started stroking.

Olivia's back arched. She closed her eyes and desperately tried to be anywhere but here.

Lewis smiled at Olivia's actions. This was new for him, keeping someone long term. It was an enjoyable challenge. He kicked her wet legs apart, water cascading down his back. She looked miserable. Perfect. He smiled at her panicked eyes. It was amazing she still had fight left, was still frantic at being violated.

Olivia tilted her head back and tried to slip out of his grip, but it was no use. He was too strong. With one hand keeping her in place, his other hand supported his weight against the wall. A slow groan sounded as he entered her.

"Just relax sweetheart. Relax and feel." His excitement was evident. He noticed her face was flushed, her breathing shallow. Lewis slid his hand back down.

Her eyes snapped open as Lewis found his mark. "No," she pleaded.

Lewis looked down at his victim, feeling her buck against him. She must have had a really rough night. The times he had played with her before...she never surrendered this fast. She was close. "That's it. Don't fight it, Detective."

Olivia scrunched her eyes and tried to remember how to breathe. She tried to picture the park at sunset. But the warm tongue caressing her breast made it hard. Sucking, nibbling...why did he have to make this feel so good?

He slowed his movement, waiting a beat before slamming into her again.

"Ah," she cried out at the sensations swirling through her. Olivia's body seemed to have taken over. It was begging for more. It was begging for him to finish. In that moment, she needed something that only Lewis could give. She hated him for it.

Lewis ground against her, and she saw spots. His eyes drank in her conflicted emotions. "Need something sweetheart?"

Olivia bit her lip, the burning ache gnawed at her, begging for attention. She bit down harder. She wasn't going to give him this.

Lewis kept his fingers in place, rubbing in circles. Her whimpers widened his smile. There was a fine line between showing her that he was in charge versus completely breaking her. He liked to dance that line.

He slid out of her and stepped back. He watched her try to hide the disappointment.

"Do you need something?" Lewis repeated.

Olivia swallowed and refused to answer him. She stared at the wall over his shoulder, trying desperately to ignore the burning desire coursing through her.

Lewis clenched his jaw. She was so stubborn. He reached between them and flicked her core. Olivia's eyes rolled, and her body took over. Her mouth opened and words spilled out. She pleaded for him to finish. She was on the edge of the cliff, her body pulsing with need. She just needed it to be over.

His cold eyes sparkled with victory. "That's my girl," he murmured. Pulling her close, he slid back inside.

Olivia cringed in despair as her body met his movement. In that moment, she wanted to be anywhere else. She wanted to go home where she could curl up on the couch. She wanted to be in the squad room joking about Chinese takeout. Instead, she was taking a shower with a serial rapist who should have been behind bars, her body participating in her own rape.

A low whine came from Olivia. He whispered praises into her ear as her body responded. A tear trickled down her face. Her thoughts wondered back to what her life was like four months ago. Back when she had a different life. A life she missed so much.


	2. Chapter 2

Olivia grimaced as he pushed her into a seat. He was never gentle. The chair creaked as she shifted. Her shirt was clinging to her shoulders, the water from her wet hair seeping through the tan material. She missed wearing pants. This new shirt only covered her torso, leaving her thighs to be chilled by the early September air.

Her eyes followed Lewis around the kitchen. He grabbed the duffel bag and moved to the refrigerator. He threw in cans of 5 Krazy, tossing a few apples in behind them. "Are we going somewhere?"

Lewis threw her a look.

She decided not to press the issue. The shower ordeal had wounded her. Where they stayed didn't seem that important. She was still a prisoner.

He walked over to her with something in his hand. "Open up."

Olivia's eyes darkened.

Lewis rolled his eyes. "Relax, sweetheart. It's a pop tart."

Her resolve wavered. "Can I get a banana instead?"

"You ate all the bananas."

"Are you sure?" Olivia looked over at the counter. "They could be-"

"Look," Lewis interjected. "I got you bananas so you would shut up about it. You ate them all. So eat the damned pop tart. Or go hungry, makes no difference to me."

Olivia's shoulders dropped. "Okay."

Lewis broke off a small piece and put it in front of her. Olivia shoved her independence down and accepted the morsel of food.

It tasted like sawdust. Sticky sawdust. But she had to get it down. He wasn't always willing to give her food, and she definitely didn't have anything left in her stomach.

Lewis watched her grimace and swallow. Any doubt she was pregnant had been erased weeks ago. She struggled to eat anything. Anything but those stupid bananas. He fed her another bite, somewhat fascinated by her struggle.

Olivia slowly got the pop tart down, not entirely sure it would stay. "Water." Her voice was dry, her throat protesting its use.

He shook his head. "We have to go."

"I'm still queasy. Water might help."

Lewis set his jaw.

"You don't want me to get sick in the car again," she pointed out.

"This is ridiculous," he replied tersely.

Olivia scowled. "Then just leave me here. Solve both our problems."

He ignored her response. "I'll be right back. You move, and I'll break your leg."

She looked to the door.

"Olivia," Lewis warned.

"I won't move," Olivia answered sullenly. It had taken months for her broken arm to heal. A broken leg didn't sound appealing. She recalled his fury at her last escape attempt and the horrific pain that followed. The next time she tried to run, he couldn't see it coming. The next time had to work.

Metal clanks sounded from the bedroom, further signs they were leaving. She had lost count of the places he had moved her to. They had been to cabins, trailers, abandoned homes, and even a few sheds.

Her thoughts wondered to the beach house he first kept her in. She still had nightmares about that place.

_"What?" Olivia croaked. She couldn't have heard him right._

_Lewis peeled the matted hair off her face. "We're leaving," he repeated._

_"I - I don't understand," she stammered weakly. They had been in the beach house for three days. Lewis said she would die here, that she wouldn't make it out of this house alive. Everything he did seemed to confirm death wasn't far away. Her blood was everywhere. She had lost the feeling in her arms. Her ribs ached with each breath she took. Her brain pulsated against her skull. The dozens of burns she had endured trapped heat in her skin; making her feel as though she was on fire._

_She squinted at Lewis, trying to comprehend what he was saying._

_His tone softened. "It's time to go to sleep."_

_She wanted to argue, but his hands were forcing her mouth open. Something hard touched the back of her throat. Then there was vodka - too much vodka. Olivia panicked. This was it. This would be how he killed her. He had done everything he wanted, he was done with her._

_Darkness blurred her vision. Liquid spilled over on her neck. She gagged, desperate for air. Her throat constricted, swallowing the bitter liquid. Olivia was vaguely aware the bottle was moved away. Lewis was talking again, but she couldn't hear him over the ringing in her ears. She tried to squeak out a plea, to beg for her life like he wanted, but her throat wouldn't work. Days of screaming had taken their toll. There was nothing left to do. There was no way for her to fight. Not like this._

"Hey!"

Olivia felt a stinging slap across her face.

"I said open your mouth," Lewis hissed.

Irritation spread across her features. She hadn't heard him come back in. Olivia glanced at the white pills he carried in his hand and narrowed her eyes.

"Open up, Olivia. I'm not in a patient mood."

"No," she spoke through clenched teeth. She hated sleeping pills, hated the fog that came with them.

He frowned. "You're going to take a nap. Figured you would appreciate that after the night you had."

Olivia shook her head, defiance returning to her eyes.

"You can take the pills or I can knock you out. Either way, you'll be sleeping when I put you in the car." His hand twitched. Lewis wanted to strangle her. No matter how many battles he won, Olivia's spunk always returned. Some days he enjoyed it. Today was not one of those days.

A choked scream filled the room as Lewis dug into the wound he opened in the shower, providing the window he wanted. He shoved the pills to the back of her throat and grabbed the water bottle beside him. A few sputters later, the pills were down her throat.

Lewis released her chin and grabbed the duct tape. "There's the water you wanted. You're welcome." He tore off a strip of tape and slapped it over her mouth. "You can thank me later. Up you go." He led her back to the bedroom and cuffed her to the headboard. "Sweet dreams." He kissed her lightly on the forehead. "I'll be back soon with the car."

Olivia's eyes grew in alarm. He couldn't leave her, not like this. She had thrown up all night. She would drown if she couldn't keep the pop tart down.

"You'll be fine. Deep breaths," he suggested with a wink. "Don't go anywhere."

* * *

The sunlight hit him in the eyes as he opened the front door. Lewis glanced around to make sure no one was watching before stepping outside, closing the door behind him. He started on the trail leading to the road, annoyed he had to repeat this process so soon. Her squad was more ambitious than he bargained for. The radio announced this morning they found the last car he had used.

The police lifted his DNA from the steering wheel. They found Olivia's DNA from her getting sick in the backseat. They knew she was still with him. They knew she was still alive.

It was bad timing. The city was about to call off the search, or at least that's what the news said last week. Maybe that's why he had been so careless with the car. The police had all but given up on her, assuming she was six feet under. Even the press had died down; she was no longer a priority. Until this morning.

Leaving the car in such an obvious place was a mistake he would have to live with for weeks. It would be like May all over again. They would have to lay low, move every few days. He would need to kill anyone who saw him. It shouldn't be a big deal; it wasn't then. But she was pregnant now.

Lewis shook his head. Having never kept his girls for more than a few days, he never thought about dealing with a pregnant hostage. For the most part, nothing changed. He still burned her, still raped her, still made her scream until she lost her voice. He was slightly surprised she hadn't lost the baby. He was rough with her.

Lewis turned on the main road, watching for traffic. He did handle a few things differently. He gave her food at least once a day and didn't force alcohol down her throat anymore. They had most of their fun during the day as Olivia's nausea seemed to peak at night. Hurting her wasn't as fun when she was puking every five minutes.

He smirked as he recalled her look of terror at the pregnancy test. The despair in her eyes had sealed her fate. He would keep her around, if for no other reason than to have the baby she was so horrified to carry.

* * *

"No, that can't be right. Test it again." Nick spoke firmly. They had gotten the call yesterday morning. After nine weeks of no leads, they finally caught a break.

A couple walking their dog spotted an abandoned white van with red scrapes on the driver's side. They called it in, feeling something was off. Local police confirmed the van was stolen and sent samples off for testing. The results had come in a few hours ago. Olivia's DNA was in the backseat.

"I already did retest it. Three times," the technician sounded annoyed. "The results are accurate."

"You must have made a mistake. Where's your boss? Is he here?"

"Nick," Amanda said softly. "He's just trying to do his job."

"Then he should be better at his job." His words had a cutting edge.

"Is there a problem here?" An older gentlemen stepped into the room.

"They want me to run the test again. I've already ran it four times," the young technician argued.

The older man reached out his hand. "I'm Dr. Stanton. You must be here about the missing detective."

"Yes we are." Amanda shook his hand.

Dr. Stanton motioned to the folder in Nick's hand. "May I?"

Nick frowned. "Fine," he muttered.

Dr. Stanton took the file and glanced through the paperwork. "I see ESU found blood and vomit in the back of the vehicle."

"They found fingerprints on the steering wheel too," Amanda added with an edge to her voice.

"Yes, those seem to match William Lewis. However, the DNA in the backseat show Detective Benson was also in the vehicle. Do either of you have concerns about those results?" The doctor peered over his glasses.

Nick boiled with anger. "Do we have any concerns?" he asked incredulously.

Dr. Stanton paused. "Are you questioning the DNA results putting William Lewis and your detective in the van?"

"No, of course not," Nick retorted.

"So then it's the blood levels you're questioning?" The doctor took off his glasses.

"You don't understand who we're dealing with. There's no way those results are right." Amanda was adamant.

Dr. Stanton nodded, choosing his words carefully. "I can't imagine what you are going through. To have your colleague disappear without a trace must have its challenges. We want to do anything we can to help. These results," he paused. "I understand they aren't what you expected, but the same lab that confirmed the DNA belonged to Detective Benson also tested the blood levels. The sample has an HCG level of 31,000. Your friend is pregnant, at least she was when she was in the van."

Nick shook his head in denial. "Can't you check it again?"

The young technician exchanged glances with Dr. Stanton. "The test was run four times. She's at least six weeks along."

Nick wanted to punch someone. Within twenty-four hours, they went from thinking Olivia was dead to finding out she was still alive and still being held captive by William Lewis. Now she was pregnant? Was this why Lewis still had her? This was completely against his pattern. Questions swirled in his head.

He spun on his heel, vaguely aware Amanda was still talking. He had almost given up on his partner. Photos of Lewis' previous victims flashed through his head. He thought of the lust in Lewis' eyes when he played Olivia in the interrogation room. Nick had let her down. He should have stopped it then. He didn't, and Olivia paid the price. And now he found out he had been letting her down every day for the last four months. That would stop today. "I'm coming, Liv. Hang on." Nick slammed the door open. "I'm coming."

* * *

Pain. Her shoulder, her wrists, her throat, it all burned. Not that pain was unusual. She tried to turn over, but something was in her way. Something soft but firm. Light shined in her eyes, and music floated around her.

Her eyes fluttered open. Black leather was everywhere. She grimaced at the throb in her shoulder and shifted to relieve the tension. The ground beneath her jostled. Olivia groaned. She was in a car.

"Welcome back sweetheart," Lewis peered over his shoulder. "Comfy?"

Olivia closed her eyes.

"You've been out for a while. Missed some pretty mountains." He checked the rear view mirror. The sun was setting over the trees. "We should find some place to settle soon."

She looked up out the window and saw a pink glow against the tree tops. If she ever got out of this, she was never coming back to the woods.

Lewis spied a dirt road to the left and slowed the gray sedan for the turn. "Probably going to hit some pot holes."

Olivia winced as her head bounced on the floorboards. She would have a headache later.

The car crawled to a stop about ten minutes later. Lewis stepped out of the car and stepped towards the moss covered cabin. The dirt road was clear, no sign of foot prints or tire tracks. This looked promising.

The front door creaked open. Lewis walked inside and found everything was covered in dust and cobwebs.

His footsteps echoed through the empty house. He passed a bathroom before turning a corner. He moved towards the first door and peeked inside. A futon lay discarded in the middle of the floor. A faded recliner sat in the corner. His tongue touched his lips. This wouldn't work at all.

He checked the second bedroom and discovered the only furniture was a broken bookshelf. Lewis turned on his heel, frustration oozing out of him. He was about to leave when he spied a door through the kitchen. Curiosity got the better of him, and he changed direction.

There was enough sunlight to see the door had two locks and a door knob. A sliding bolt laid even with his shoulders. The second lock was a few inches lower. It was a chain lock, the kind you see in a hotel room.

Lewis was intrigued. Why would anyone use two locks on an inside door? He slid open the bolt and pulled the chain free from its hold. His hand twisted the door knob, pulling open the heavy door. Curiosity turned to confusion before a slow smile slid over his face. They may not have to move again for a while.

* * *

If he didn't come back soon, her bladder was going to explode. Olivia tried to rock back and forth, but found her head still ached from the bumpy ride.

The car door swung open, smoke reaching her nostrils. "Found a new home, baby girl."

He pulled her out of the car and leaned her against a nearby tree to shut the car door. Lewis looked proud, like a child who got away with stealing a toy.

Olivia knew many of his looks. She experienced his anger, endured his curiosity, avoided his wrath, and prayed for his disinterest. But this, this smug contentment, she had never seen it before. It scared her.

Lewis seemed to sense it. He pushed the gun under her chin. "It's not perfect, but it has everything we need. You be a good girl, and I'll get you some food. Might even let you go to the bathroom."

Olivia walked with him to the cabin. Fighting didn't seem to be an option with the gun digging into her chin.

The house was dark, she noted as he pulled her into the living room. Dark and musky. Lewis turned her into the kitchen. Her confusion grew when he led her past the cabinets, past the refrigerator. It seemed he was leading her straight to a wall.

Lewis reached up and undid the two locks. He twisted the knob and pulled the door open. He heard her sharp intake of breath, felt her tremble.

This couldn't be it. This couldn't be where Lewis wanted to keep her. The places he found before, they were homes. The rooms he held her in had curtains, some even had paintings for her to focus on when she seemed to be drowning in sorrow. This room had none of that.

She was vaguely aware of Lewis talking about electricity, something about it not working. Olivia didn't really care. Her attention was on the cement room before her. Buckets lined the far wall. A candle was burning on a table by the door. Her eyes scanned the room. There were no windows. Olivia's eyes fell to the bed in the corner. Rope was already tied to all four wooden legs.

Lewis felt it before she started, he knew it was coming. Her muscles twitched the second she decided to run. The duct tape muffled her scream. She managed to turn halfway around before his arms wrapped around her. "Nope, no, uh-uh, sweetheart. Be good," Lewis breathed into her ear.

Another muffled cry sounded behind the duct tape. Olivia tried to wrench herself away from the man stealing her life. It no longer mattered he had a gun. She couldn't stay here. There was no way out. Her struggles increased as he pushed her into the room. What had she done wrong? Why did he want to keep her here?

Lewis manhandled her towards the bed and threw her down. "Guess you don't want dinner." He rolled her on to her stomach and crawled on top of her, sitting on her lower back.

Her left hand was freed from the handcuffs, and she yanked it free from his grasp. She swung her hand backwards with all the strength she had.

Lewis cursed at the fist clipping his chin. The shock was enough for Olivia to pull her second hand free. She tried to push herself off the bed, but a strong hand grabbed her neck. He shoved her down into the mattress and held her there.

Olivia became frantic. She couldn't breathe like this. Her lungs burned for air, her hands scrambled for anything useful.

Lewis growled. "You really want to do it like this?"

Olivia tried to lift her head, to pull away from his hold on her neck. She needed air.

Lewis shook his head at her continued struggles. "Fine. Remember, I warned you."

She wanted to scream at him. She wanted to dig his eyeballs out with a dull knife. She wanted to curl in a ball and weep for the pain she had endured. She couldn't survive here. This cement filled room squashed any hopes she had of being found. A tear fell as her senses faded. How did she end up here?

* * *

"No, tell the lab to run it again."

Amanda pinched her nose, able to empathize with the lab technician she spoke with earlier. "We already did. They ran it four times."

Brian turned to her with disbelieving eyes. "You can't be serious?" His gaze moved to the captain. "I mean, we know this guy. We've studied his crime scenes, his file, we even met with his victims who survived. He's a psychopath!"

Captain Cragen looked down at the report again. He felt like a cinderblock was stuck to his chest.

"Captain? Come on, she's out there. We know that. But this, this is ridiculous," Brian's voice rose.

"Forensics said the blood is less than a week old. The vomit proves she was alive in the car. We can discuss the other results later."

Amanda looked at the broken people standing with her in Captain's office. The last few months had been hard. While this was an unexpected twist in the investigation, it couldn't be ignored. "Captain," her voice wavered. "We can't dismiss this. Before he took Liv, he only kept victims for a few days. She is different to him." She shrugged. "We had no idea what he was doing, what his motive was. Maybe this is what changed."

"She's right," Fin interjected. "This is the only thing we have. It could be why Lewis has kept Liv alive. I don't like this anymore than you do. The results show she's pregnant. She needs us. We don't have time to argue about it."

Nick punched a dent into the filing cabinet. "I'm going to kill him."

"Not if I get my hands on him first," Brian snapped.

The captain held up a hand. "We've got to find them first. Local detectives are scouring every home within a twenty mile radius, then they'll branch out. But we know his pattern. With this media circus, he's already on the move. So check missing persons, stolen vehicles, store robberies within a fifty mile radius. I'm done chasing our tails. Find him."

* * *

A shiver ran through Olivia. She moved to curl into a ball but found her limbs wouldn't move.

"You didn't stay out long."

Her eyes opened to find Lewis on the other side of the open door. He was unpacking his duffel bag.

Olivia pulled against her restraints and felt the rope dig into her limbs. She was anchored to the bed, every part of her available for Lewis to do whatever he wanted. Terror sprang in her heart.

Lewis walked towards her with a malicious sparkle in his eye. "Don't worry, Olivia. We've got nothing but time here."

Olivia's eyes glistened with tears. "Please don't," her voice wavered.

Lewis crouched down beside the bed. "I told you to be a good girl." His hand cupped her cheek. "I warned you."

She opened her mouth to argue.

He put his finger over her lips. "You know what happens when you don't behave."

Olivia's face crumpled.

Lewis stood up. "Cry as loud as you want. No one will hear you." He held up the blowtorch. "Your thigh seems to have healed nicely. Maybe this will too."

Olivia's shoulders shook as the first scream tore through her lips. Hope had never seemed so far away.


	3. Chapter 3

Olivia's shallow breathing echoed in the dark room. Her tremors tugged at the rope holding her in place. She didn't even know what hurt. Lewis had started with the blowtorch blistering her left shoulder. Cigarettes came next, melting away circles of her skin. A knife appeared at some point. Eventually, the torment combined into an all-consuming agony.

Lewis had taken his time, slowly creating one new wound at a time. He wielded each instrument of cruelty with a child-like curiosity. He grinned at her pain and laughed at her tears before finally deciding that she had endured enough. Lewis then left her in the dark, not bothering to undo her restraints. Olivia didn't mind. Her body required strength to move, and she didn't have any left.

Her latest fight against Lewis seemed so inconsequential. Her recent actions didn't warrant the torture he caused. Her panic at the cement prison was instinctive. Her actions were based on survival. But Lewis didn't see it that way. She had tried to run. She had tried to take control, something Lewis didn't tolerate.

A dull clank sounded, and brightness flooded the room. Olivia quivered. She wasn't sure if it was from the pain or the fear.

Lewis slithered inside, the door slamming shut behind him. An orange glow appeared as he lit the candle with a flick of his lighter. Lewis walked slowly towards her.

Olivia felt the mattress dip. She could feel his eyes on her; she could sense his displeasure. She kept her eyes on the wall. Olivia couldn't look at him. Fear radiated from her pores, and defeat grew in her heart. He would take one look at her and know she was falling apart. She couldn't give him that.

The silence was maddening though. A faint crackle sounded from the candle. The walls seemed to be closing in on her. She couldn't take it anymore. "I'm sorry," she appealed quietly. More silence met her ears, and she chanced a look at her captor.

"You're sorry? For what?" Lewis gave her an innocent look.

Olivia's eyes fell. "For trying to run."

Lewis ran his fingers down her cheek. "Oh, you were trying to go somewhere?"

Olivia shrank away from his touch and turned back to the wall. His mocking tone took too much effort.

"Hey, you don't get to hide from me." Lewis grabbed her chin.

Olivia huffed as he spun her gaze back to him.

He set his jaw. "You aren't in charge anymore. You don't get to say no. You don't get to say later. You keep forgetting that and getting yourself in trouble. So the next time you think about pushing me? The next time you think about fighting me? Remember that."

Olivia met his pointed gaze with a stony glare of her own.

He curled his lip at her silence. Lewis grabbed her newly burnt shoulder.

Olivia howled. "Okay, okay, I'll remember."

"Remember what?" Lewis tightened his grip.

"You're in charge," she gasped.

"See?" He released her shoulder, frowning as he had to peel his fingers off her sticky wound. "See how much easier things are when you do what you're told?"

Olivia didn't respond. Her lungs had stopped working. The pain had intensified into a white sheet of agony, consuming all her senses. Her face twisted, her mouth hanging open.

"Hey," Lewis whispered, his mocking tone turning soft at her red face. "Breathe, baby."

Olivia stared past him as her eyes glazed over.

Lewis held her head in his hands. "Breathe, Olivia. Come on, baby girl."

A whimper sounded as her lungs came to life. She gulped in breaths of air, trying not to move her aching shoulder.

"There you go, just breathe." He grabbed a half-empty bottle from the floor. "Want some water?"

Olivia looked away, anger and shame written on her face, her upper body still trembling with waves of pain.

"You still want to fight me?" Lewis unscrewed the cap. "I'm good to go for another round, sweetheart. You look a little rough, though."

Her anger immediately dissipated at his threat, dread taking its place. The past few hours played back in her head. She couldn't endure anymore pain, not today. "Okay."

Lewis reached down and lifted her head with a smug grin. It was so easy to back her into a corner.

Olivia cried a tortured moan at the tug against her scorched skin. Her lips closed around the bottle, and she greedily drank the water he offered. Her mouth had been dry for so long.

Lewis pulled the bottle away and laid her head back down against the mattress.

Olivia closed her eyes against the whirling room. The blowtorch seemed to hurt worse each time.

"I'm going to look for some food. Will you be a good girl if I untie your feet?"

"Yeah," Olivia mumbled.

Lewis stood and undid the knots at her ankles. The rope fell to the floor, freeing her legs.

"Look at me, sweetheart." He leaned over her. "Olivia!"

Her eyes blinked open, startled at his tone.

"If you make one move to undo the rope for your hands or try to get off this bed," Lewis cautioned. "The blowtorch will be like a pat on the back compared to what I'll do when I get back."

Olivia cringed. "I'll be good."

Lewis patted her leg. "Atta girl."

The door slammed shut, a metal clank sounding from the other side. She was locked in. Olivia drew her legs together, relief flooding her veins at being able to move. Being tied down spread eagle caused a heightened terror when William Lewis was present.

She bit her lip and tried to pull herself into a sitting position. Maybe it would hurt less. A gut wrenching scream ripped through her lips. Her head fell back against the mattress, tears falling into her hair. It was no use. The pull against her shoulder wasn’t worth it. Sitting up wouldn't change her circumstances anyway. She was still stuck here. Still imprisoned with the psychopath who wanted to tear her apart.

* * *

Amanda sipped her coffee, the papers in front of her blurring into a solid mass of white.

"In the past month, there have been seven people reported missing, three stolen vehicles, and eleven robberies." Fin frowned. "Jefferson County makes Manhattan look like a death trap."

"At least that will help us narrow down our search. Any of the missing persons match a stolen vehicle report?" Amanda leaned over.

"Course not. That would be too easy," Fin muttered.

Brian rubbed his temples. "There has to be an easier way to find them."

Amanda straightened, studying the evidence board. "This still doesn't make any sense. What would William Lewis do with an infant? Even if the baby did change what Lewis wanted to do, it would take at least six weeks to figure out she was pregnant. And that's if it happened right away."

"Unless," Fin glanced at Brian. "Lover boy?"

Brian's brow creased. "What?"

Nick turned to him with a frown.

"You and her, were you?" Amanda's voice trailed off. "Could you have?"

Brian looked around. "Wait, you think that I? Me? No way!" he vehemently denied.

"It could happen, though," Amanda cautioned.

"No, we're careful. I mean, we were careful," Brian's eyes darted between them. "Come on, guys, I could never be a dad. Can you see me changing diapers?"

Nick sighed as he threw his pen down. "It's either you or Lewis. If it was Lewis, he decided to keep her before she got pregnant. If it was you, she was pregnant when Lewis took her."

Brian shook his head. "No way, man," he repeated.

Amanda pursed her lips. "Brian, is it possible?"

Brian opened his mouth but nothing came out. His mind drifted to the last date he had with Olivia. His face flushed.

"Way to go, Cassidy," Nick said flatly.

Brian's head started spinning. "I need some air." He stood and headed to the door. Brian didn't want to raise a kid. Play dates, tea parties, Little League - they weren't in the cards for him.

He wasn't sure which was worse. Either he had an unborn child in Lewis' clutches, or Olivia was carrying her rapist's baby. A baby Brian could have to help her raise. If they found her. Brian changed course for the bathroom. He was going to be sick.

* * *

Lewis was proud of himself. He had found a wild blackberry patch south of the cabin. Birds had snagged some of the berries, but there was still enough to last a few days.

He grabbed the expired crackers off the counter and headed for Olivia's room. A predatory smile spread over his face. She still had spirit, though he didn't know how.

Lewis unlocked the door, not entirely sure what he would find. Olivia's spunk raised its head at the most unlikely time. The door swung open to reveal her lying on the bed. The rope secured each wrist to the bed frame, keeping her somewhat open for display. She hadn't moved. His eyebrow raised. Maybe she had learned her lesson.

"Found some snacks," he announced, depositing the berries beside the bed. "Are you hungry?"

Olivia shook her head, eyes sealed shut.

Lewis bristled. "You haven't eaten anything in over 24 hours. Sit up."

She groaned. "I can't."

"We'll see about that," Lewis replied tersely.

"Please, Lewis. Please just this once, leave me alone," Olivia pleaded.

"Not your call, sweetheart."

"No," her voice trailed off into a cry of pain as Lewis pulled her into a sitting position.

"See? Now you're up," he advised dryly.

Olivia took in a ragged breath, a tidal wave of pain threatening to bring her under.

"We have blackberries and crackers." Lewis joined her on the mattress. "What do you want? I'll be nice and let you choose."

Olivia clenched her fists. She wasn't hungry. "I want to go home."

Lewis snorted. "Not an option, baby."

"Why not? You get bored after keeping people a few days. It's been months! You've done everything you can possibly do to me. Just let me go home!" Olivia implored weakly.

"Home? What home? You think they're going to keep your Manhattan apartment vacant for you when no one is paying the bills?" Lewis laughed. "You think your boyfriend hasn't asked the hot chick down the street out for drinks yet? Home isn't the place you left."

Olivia raised her chin, ignoring his taunts. "My squad will find me eventually."

"Maybe they will," he admitted. "So what? What happens then? Did you plan on going back to your apartment and crawling under the covers? Pretend this never happened? Really, sweetheart? You don't even have your bedding anymore!" Lewis chuckled as he sat down beside her. "And your job, you think they'll let you go back to working sex crimes after all the time we've spent together? Did you actually expect to work with victims again after the hundreds of times I've raped you?"

Olivia looked stricken. Her lips parted, but nothing came out.

"Don't pretend you're not different now. Even if you got out today, you'll never be the same. Your friends will see you as a victim, they'll pity you." He grabbed her quivering chin. "Face it, baby. I'm all you have left. If I walked out the door and didn't come back, you would die here." Lewis caught her gaze.

"You're wrong," she said through clenched teeth.

"Am I?" Lewis tilted his head. "Your eyes tell a different story."

Olivia wrenched her face out of his hands. He had to be wrong

Lewis shook his head. "Come on, open up." He picked up a few blackberries and tapped her lips.

She glanced at him and became nauseated at the gleam in his eyes. She had no desire for food.

"You can open up, or I can force it down your throat. You won't like the second option," Lewis growled.

Olivia retreated into a blank stare and opened her mouth. The berries slid in, a tart burst of flavor exploding on her tongue.

Lewis fed her a few more handfuls and switched to the crackers before deciding she had eaten enough. He grabbed an empty bucket off the wall and put it beside the bed. "Just in case Junior doesn't like his lunch."

Olivia heard his steps retreat, the door closing behind him. The barrier keeping her emotions in check began to crumble. Her shoulders started to shake. She had been clinging to the moment she could go home. Every moment that surrender was close, she held on to seeing the people she loved one more time. She focused on the moment she would be free of William Lewis.

Olivia was so fiercely clinging to those moments that she never considered what would happen afterwards. Lewis' mocking words rang in her head. Even as she argued with herself, the detective side of her knew he was right. Her life after Lewis, if she had one, would be drastically different than the life she had before him.

Sobs escaped her lips, the sorrow from her heart crying to be heard. Lewis destroyed everything, even her dreams.


	4. Chapter 4

_She tried to ignore his pawing hands on her body. She had to think, she had to focus on how to get out of this. Olivia saw silver flash in her peripheral vision. Lewis had found her handcuffs. A wave of panic swept over her, the photos of his victims flashed through her head. Adrenaline shot through her veins. She knew what Lewis planned on doing, and she wasn't going to let it happen to her._

_Lewis tugged at the gun on her hip. She had to move now, before the situation got worse. She threw her elbow backwards and heard the gun fall to her bedroom floor. Olivia spun around and threw a punch at his face._

_A startled grunt escaped him. Lewis took a step back, his hand reaching up to check his nose._

_Olivia drew back for a second attempt, but she was too late. Lewis had recovered in an instant. He tossed her backwards with a sling of his arm. Her teeth clicked together as her head bounced off the wall._

" _Nice try, detective." Lewis snarled, fury taking root in his eyes._

_No. No, he wasn't going to win, her story wouldn't end like this. Olivia clenched her teeth as Lewis pinned her against the wall. She wasn't going to let him win. Olivia snapped her knee up between his legs. Lewis howled in pain and loosened his grip. She shoved him away from her, landing another punch on his nose. The shock seemed to steal his breath, freezing him in place. She glanced at the gun on the floor behind him and decided against grabbing it. She didn't have time. She had to get out._

_Olivia reached the kitchen and closed her fingers around her phone. She was almost at the door, she could make it. Her hand grazed the doorknob as Lewis rounded the corner._

" _Get back here!" Lewis barked, grabbing her by the hair._

_Her head snapped backwards with a cry of pain. Olivia eyed the door with gritted teeth. She was so close. She just had to loosen his grip one more time. "Let go of me!" Olivia hissed. Her hands reached up and fought against his hold on her. "Help! Help me!"_

_Lewis sneered and tightened his hold. "Shut up!"_

_She fumbled for the edge of the counter as Lewis hauled her away from the door. Her eyes darted around the kitchen. She needed a pan, a knife, a glass, anything to throw at him, but the counter was bare. "Somebody help me!" she screamed._

_Lewis threw her to the ground with a growl. His boot connected with her side, sending a shockwave through her stomach._

_Olivia gasped, her eyes closing in pain. She had to fight, she couldn't let him beat her. Not when she knew the cost. Her hands pushed her off the ground, but another kick to her ribs sent her falling back down. Spots darkened her vision, air escaped from her lungs. She couldn't breathe._

_His boot nudged her onto her side, a vicious grin on his face. "You like to play hard to get, detective?" His fist swung towards her face. "I can do that."_

_Her face exploded with pain, copper filling her mouth. Her vision grew blurry. She had to get up, but her body was not cooperating. Her eyes refocused to see Lewis swinging another punch, nailing her in the eye. Olivia groaned. The room was spinning._

_Lewis flipped her over on her stomach and grabbed the collar of her gray jacket. Olivia let out a strangled cry as he peeled it off her arms._

_He wrenched her arms behind her and locked the handcuffs in place. He grabbed her arm, pulling her up off the floor._

_Olivia closed her eyes against the spinning room, fighting to stay conscious. Her body jostled as Lewis slammed her into a chair._

" _Let's get you settled in." His voice sounded distant._

_Her eyes blinked open. She needed to stay alert. Lewis appeared at her side with duct tape in hand._

" _No," she murmured with a sluggish groan. She had to talk with him, reason with him. She couldn't do that if duct tape covered her mouth._

_Lewis tore off a strip of tape and slapped it over her lips. "That should keep you quiet." He brought the gun under her chin. "Stay."_

_Olivia cringed. Every insult she had thrown at him in the squad room haunted her thoughts. He would make her pay for what she did, for what she tried to do._

_Her eyes followed his every movement until he disappeared into her bedroom. Something crashed to the floor, and she jumped. Olivia looked down at her crumpled jacket. It was going to be a rough night._

_Her eyes lifted when Lewis walked out of her bedroom a few seconds later. He held her gun in one hand, rope and cigarettes in the other._

_Her breath hitched. The pyrotechnics, the branding, the torture – Lewis described it all in the interrogation room. A foreboding sense of dread swept over Olivia._

_Lewis squatted beside her and shoved the gun against her cheek. "Don't move."_

_He circled rope around her leg and tied a knot, securing her to the chair. He moved to her other side to secure her other leg._

_Olivia took a ragged breath. She couldn't move._

_Lewis stood up, a mischievous smile filling his face. "You look nervous, sweetheart."_

_She swallowed hard and raised her chin. If he wanted her to sweat and beg, he had another thing coming._

_He walked behind her, his firm hands caressing her neck._

_A shudder rippled through Olivia. She had spent her life fighting men like Lewis. Righting the wrongs that survivors endured. Now, it was her turn. Fate had a cruel sense of humor._

_Lewis pulled her hair behind her shoulders. His warm breath grazed against her neck. "Ready for some fun, sweetheart?"_

_She jerked away from his touch with a strangled cry. There had to be a way out of this. Olivia twisted in the chair but a searing pain shot through her arm, freezing her movement. What was wrong with her shoulder?_

Olivia jolted awake, her breath coming in short panicked gasps. She moved to sit up and was rewarded with a wave of searing pain. Olivia fell back with a whimper. Where was she? Olivia took in a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. After a few seconds, her senses started to work. She could feel the rope digging into her wrists, the lumpy mattress beneath her, the cold air snaking its way over her. She took in a shaky breath and let out a cry of frustration. It wasn't a dream. Lewis had taken her.

The nightmare was happening more lately, replaying that first night. Maybe it was because she had too much time think. To analyze where she went wrong. She should have fought harder that night. She should have done something different, something more. Maybe if she had tried to get the gun...Olivia shook her head. Lewis hadn't been in enough pain to let her get the gun. Not when she had to go around him to get it. Maybe if she had hit him harder? She could have gotten to the lamp. It was plugged in though. It would have taken time to get it out. It wouldn't have mattered. She had been cocky then...untouchable, confident she could always find a way out. But that was then, back when she thought she had a choice, a say in what her life held. Before Lewis demolished her pride. Before he destroyed her heart. Maybe if that Olivia had tasted the desperation she now lived with everyday, maybe that night would have ended differently. So many maybes. 

Olivia's mind played back her last conversation before coming home that night. Nick's questioning gaze had penetrated her frustration. He knew something was off with Lewis. Even in the interrogation room, he knew. She should have listened to him. Olivia wished she could talk to him one more time. Nick would remind her of who she used to be, the confident detective who never backed off a challenge. Maybe a part of that person still existed somewhere. She didn't feel like it, though. Olivia trembled in Lewis' presence. She cried all the time. Her world shattered over and over again every day. She was broken.

A clank sounded, pulling Olivia out of her head. The door opened, and twilight peaked into the room. Dread bubbled up inside her.

Lewis grunted his way into the room, his arms carrying an odd shaped bundle. Drops of sweat beaded his forehead. "I have a surprise for you, sweetheart."

A thud echoed through the room as a pile of rocks fell to the ground. Olivia grimaced. She hated surprises. They never ended well for her. She braced her foot against the mattress and grabbed the rope binding her wrists. If Lewis was going to be in the room, she did not want to be lying down. It gave him too many ideas, left her too exposed. Olivia gradually pulled herself into a sitting position, her teeth clenched with the effort it caused.

Lewis stepped back into the kitchen and reappeared with another bundle. "I'm making a fire pit."

Her stomach rolled. She still had fresh burns scattered across her thighs and chest. The thought of another round with fire made her bones ache.

"The temperature is falling. It's supposed to be in the forties tonight." Lewis huffed as he dropped his second load of rocks.

Olivia's brow furrowed. "Wait, you're building a fire pit because it's cold outside?"

He squatted on the ground and glanced over at her. "The electricity is fried."

"And?" she asked hoarsely.

"I assume you don't want to get hypothermia," he replied dryly. He started arranging the rocks in a circle, oblivious to the confusion swirling around Olivia's head.

"You're building a fire to stay warm?" Her eyes rounded, incredulous at the thought.

Lewis threw her a grin. "You know how I like the heat."

Olivia gaped at him.

"Don't look so surprised, sweetheart. It'll be below freezing in a couple of weeks. Might as well get it done." Lewis shrugged. "This place is a dump. It will take a lot of time to get the house ready for winter."

Her mouth went dry. "Winter? You want to stay here for the winter?"

"Why not? It's perfect," Lewis said proudly. "The nearest town is hours away. The house is miles off the main road, and we're surrounded by trees. After it snows, people won't even see the driveway."

Olivia swallowed a wave of nausea. She would lose her mind being held in this prison for months. "Isn't it best to keep moving?"

Lewis paused and tilted his head. "You suddenly enjoying our life on the run, sweetheart? Or do you just hate the house that much?"

Olivia scanned her foggy mind. "The house is too dirty, too old. And a fire pit can't heat this whole house."

He grinned. "Don't worry about that. I'll make sure my Baby Momma stays warm."

"I am not your baby momma," she spat out, fire lighting her eyes.

"No?" Lewis chuckled. "You're having my baby. What would you call it?"

Olivia closed her eyes and bit her lip. She wanted to tell him off, but pushing his buttons while he was making a fire would be stupid.

Lewis put the last stone in place and stood up. "That's what I thought." He walked back to the kitchen and came back with the firewood. "What are you thinking about for a name? Have any favorites?"

"I am not having this conversation with you," Olivia scoffed.

"Junior seems to stick." He ignored her protest. "We can go with Billy Junior if it's a boy."

Olivia glared daggers at him. "It will be a cold day in hell when my child is named after you."

Lewis finished arranging the firewood and brushed off his hands. His eyes travelled up her naked form, lingering in uncomfortable places. "You don't look like you're in a position to argue about much of anything, detective," he smirked.

Olivia scowled and looked away. As much as she wanted to fight him on this, he had a point. She was tied naked to a bed. The past four months proved he could make her do anything he wanted. Her words were just empty threats.

Lewis crinkled up some paper and lit it on fire. He tucked them into the firewood, an orange glow taking over the room. "There, that's done."

She glanced at the dancing flame and felt her blood pressure climb. Fire used to be comforting. A part of her knew the warmth would be a welcome addition to her life, but fire stood for other things now. Dangerous things.

"I think I deserve a thank you," Lewis said as he wiped off his forehead. "Some of the stones were hard to dig up." Sweat stained the back of his shirt, evidence of the effort involved in his task.

"A thank you?" Her eyes darted between him and the fire. "For keeping me alive?"

He narrowed his eyes. "You asked for this, Olivia. You wanted me to keep you around." His eyes bore into her. "I could have killed you, but you begged me not to. This was your choice."

"You never gave me a choice!" She cried, hatred filling her core. "You branded me in my own home and made me watch you rape innocent people. What part of that was my choice, you monster?"

Anger sparked in his eyes. "Fine. You want a choice?" He pursed his lips and walked towards her. Lewis freed her wounded arm, his lips set in a thin line. He moved towards her feet and slid them off the bed. "I'll give you a choice, sweetheart."

Olivia raised her chin. Indignation swept through her like a fire. How dare he expect a thank you after the nightmare he had made her live.

Lewis walked around to her other side and pulled her into a sitting position, her feet dangling off the mattress. He knelt down to her eye level, and his tongue touched his lips. "You can choose to either open your mouth and thank me for taking care of you, or I can tie you back down and rape you till the sun comes up."

Olivia's boldness trickled away, dismay taking its place. He couldn't mean what she thought he did.

Lewis grabbed her hair and yanked backwards. "I would think you learned your lesson last time, but if you bite me again, there's a pair of pliers in the car. I can take care of your teeth if they become a problem."

A shudder rippled through Olivia. She had walked into this. Her defiance always turned him on, gave him a hunger that only destruction could satisfy. She should have seen this coming.

Lewis tightened his hold on her scalp. "Well, baby? What's it going to be?"

Olivia's eyes implored him to change his mind, but his eyes held no mercy. They never did.

"Well?" He growled.

"Okay," her voice trembled.

"Okay what?" he asked in a patronizing tone.

"I'll open my mouth," her voice broke.

"Open your mouth for what?" Lewis wasn't going to let this go. He wanted her to know he was still in charge. He was always in charge.

"To thank you," she answered with defeat.

Satisfaction took the place of his anger, a smile creeping over his face. Lewis crashed his lips into hers with bruising force. She let out a muffled whimper.

Lewis broke the kiss and stroked her cheek. "Behave, baby girl."

Olivia cringed as he stood to his full height. His belt hit the floor, his pants following suit.

"Open up, detective."

Her eyes filled with tears. It had been weeks since Lewis made her do this. Biting him was a decision she had paid dearly for. Even so, Lewis was apprehensive enough about a repeat attempt that he had not made her go down on him since. It almost made it worth the punishment. Almost. She swallowed and opened her mouth. She didn't have the energy to fight him today.

"Good girl," Lewis praised. He tangled his fingers in her hair and brought her close. "Enjoy it. This will be the only supper you get."

Olivia balled her fists and closed her eyes. He entered her mouth, sliding against her tongue. She kept her jaw slack, reminding herself this was necessary to survive. She gagged as he hit the back of her throat. In that humiliating moment, she wondered if survival ever lost its significance. Was staying alive really worth the sacrifices she paid? She didn't know anymore.

* * *

"They think they found it!" Amanda announced.

Nick's head snapped up. "Found what?"

"The last place Lewis had Liv," she dropped the iPad on his desk. "They sent over the pictures."

Fin leaned over his shoulder. "Just looking at that house gives me chills."

Nick scrolled through the photos. The faded gray house was surrounded by trees, dead leaves scattered across the porch. Wood from the porch railing had rotted away, leaving holes in the remaining chunks. It looked lit a strong wind would knock the house over.

He scrolled through the pictures and found the inside was littered with cigarettes, cans of 5Krazy, and pieces of duct tape. It was clear evidence Lewis had been there.

"Jefferson County is putting a rush on the DNA," Amanda noted. "They're running samples to be sure it was Lewis. Detective Stiles is working the case, he'll call us when there's an update."

"What? There's another wacko out there with duct tape and 5Krazy?" Fin asked with a frown.

Nick threw the iPad down. "We should be up there looking for her, not sitting here looking through pictures."

"Lewis is long gone by now. Going up there would be a waste of time. Liv needs us here, figuring out where he took her," Fin reasoned.

"We flooded the media with their pictures. Maybe we'll get a hit." Amanda sounded hopeful. "Or maybe he'll make a mistake."

Nick frowned as he looked closer at the newest picture on the iPad. "What's that on the ground?"

She exchanged worried glances with Fin. "Maybe you shouldn't look at the rest of the photos."

"Amanda," Nick sighed. "What is it?"

"It's a shirt," Amanda whispered. "They said the edges looked ragged. Like it was cut off. He also said it had some blood on it." 

Nick's eyes closed. A bloody shirt that had been cut. He kept hoping Lewis wasn't a complete monster to Liv. He knew it wasn't realistic, given Lewis' history, but maybe that's how Nick stayed sane. No one in the squad room had talked about it. Not directly. It had certainly been implied, but no one wanted to bring it up. A sex crimes detective had been kidnapped by a serial rapist who tortured his victims. They knew what it meant. But still...knowing what might be happening was world's apart from seeing the pictures. The way Lewis left it...how much violence must have occurred in that place for it to look this bad. Those pictures showed the horror his partner had been living every day. It turned his stomach.

Fin reached over his shoulder and grabbed the iPad. "I'll take this, let you know if I find anything useful."

Amanda nodded. "They're checking stolen vehicle reports. A junkyard about five miles away reported a missing car. Detective Stiles is on his way over."

Fin nodded and plopped into his seat.

Nick watched Fin's face tighten as he started flipping through the remaining pictures. His partner was stuck in a living hell, and he wasn't even man enough to look at the aftermath. He put his head in his hands.

"Hey," Amanda's tone softened. "We'll find her."

"Yeah?" Nick's heated eyes looked up. "We said that months ago. Before we thought she was dead and gave up on her."

She shrugged helplessly. "His pattern was to keep his victims for a few days. We had no leads, no witnesses," her voice wavered. "We couldn't have known."

Nick shook his head. "She's my partner, Amanda."

"I know." Amanda bit her lip. "Liv's strong. She'll make it."

Nick raised an eyebrow. "She is stubborn," he relented. "Remember when we first started working SVU? She was so set in her ways. She hated us."

"We had no idea what we were doing," Amanda noted with a shake of her head.

"It was a little intense at first," he admitted. "Then things changed. I don't even know when it happened. I just looked up one day, and she was my partner. My friend." His smile faded.

"Hey, she still is." Amanda sat down on the corner of his desk.

"I keep thinking about what he's doing to her. The things he's made her do," Nick's voice trailed off.

"Liv wouldn't want you thinking about that," Amanda reasoned.

"No, she wouldn't," Nick agreed softly. "But every time I close my eyes, it's all I can see."

Amanda put a hand on his arm. "We'll get him, Nick. I'm going to go call that junkyard, see what they can tell us. Why don't you start calling the local gas stations? Maybe we can find out which direction they went."

"Yeah sure," Nick muttered. He needed to do something. He turned back to his computer as Amanda walked off. He wanted to believe her, wanted to believe they would find Olivia alive. But he wasn't so sure. Lewis had evaded them so far. He was always ten steps ahead of them. Nick felt old and tired. No one should have to work this kind of case, not ever. Not for their partner.


	5. Chapter 5

A faint rustling sound reached Olivia's ears. It continued for a few seconds before it occurred to her she should probably check on it. She couldn't summon the energy, though. Her bones ached with a soreness that made even lying still uncomfortable, and her eyelids seemed glued shut. Whatever had disturbed her fitful sleep could wait.

She frowned as something warm grazed across her face. Olivia sighed at the interruption and turned her head away. She just wanted to fall back into the darkness. Nothing bad happened there. She had a few blessed seconds of stillness before a light slap roused her from her drowsiness.

"Come on now, sunshine. Wake up."

Her eyes blinked open to find Lewis a few inches from her face, stroking her cheek with a rested smile. She jerked away from him with a startled cry, wincing as her body protested against the sudden movement. Her muscles felt like rubber, firm and unwilling to cooperate.

"There you are. You were sleeping hard," Lewis whispered. "Must be feeling better. You didn't get sick last night."

She grunted and closed her eyes. She didn't want to deal with Lewis. Sleep beckoned her, and she was too happy to oblige.

Lewis combed his fingers through her tangled hair. "You're cute when you're grumpy," he noted with amusement.

Olivia ignored him and adjusted back into a comfortable position. At least her legs were free. It was so much easier to sleep when her feet weren't tied down. She froze as her leg brushed against something hard. She peeled open her eyes and glanced down to find Lewis's socked foot lying between her bare legs. Her eyes travelled up his form and stopped at his naked chest. His comment sunk into her head. "You slept here? With me?"

"Olivia," Lewis admonished. "We've been sleeping together for months. This is nothing new."

She narrowed her eyes. Someone was clearly feeling peppy. Her hand twitched against the rope binding her arms to the bed. Morning people were obnoxious. Particularly when being held hostage.

"Nothing happened. Lighten up, Olivia. You were a good girl last night. I kept my word." Lewis rolled off the mattress. "Do you have to go to the bathroom?"

"You're going to let me up?" she croaked in surprise.

"Why not?" Lewis pulled his navy t-shirt over his head. "I'm in a pretty good mood. You gave excellent service last night."

Olivia turned away from him, her face twisted in disgust. She didn't want to talk about last night.

"Your mouth was so warm and soft." Lewis sat beside her on the bed, tracing her lips with his finger. "And the way your tongue rubbed against –"

"Stop," Olivia groaned, clenching her eyes shut. "Please just stop."

Lewis grinned, a malicious twinkle in his eye. "Just trying to give my girl a compliment. You're not bad when you're motivated."

Olivia huffed and gritted her teeth. "You can keep your compliments."

He snorted. "Have it your way." Lewis stood up and headed to the kitchen.

"Wait, the bathroom?" Olivia called after him. Her bladder had woken up and was desperate for some relief. The mattress was filthy enough with all the fluids already on it. She had no desire to add more to it.

"In a minute, sweetheart." He stepped through the door and disappeared from view.

Olivia sighed and leaned back into the thin pillow as rattling noises reached her ears. Today had barely started, and she was already tired of playing games.

Lewis appeared back at the door, his disheveled hair and twinkling eyes seeming to hide the devil beneath. He reached her bedside and studied Olivia for a second. "Before I let you up, are you going to be a good girl?"

She eyed the water bottle he carried and licked her lips. "Yeah."

Lewis lifted up the object of her focus. "You want water?" He sat down beside her and opened his hand to reveal two white pills. "Then you have to take these."

Olivia's face fell. Not the sleeping pills. Not again.

"I have to go out today, get some supplies. Thought I would get you settled before I leave. You can go to the bathroom and eat some food, but you have to take the pills first," he negotiated softly.

Olivia paused, her tongue slow to work. "What do you need the supplies for?"

"The house needs some work. And we're running kind of low on food." Lewis reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind Olivia's ear. "Might even grab you some bananas while I'm in town."

She met his gaze with trepidation. "What do you want?"

Lewis grinned, his eyes filled with pride. "You've learned how it works, haven't you sweetheart?"

"Just tell me what you want, Lewis." Olivia wasn't in the mood.

"I want you to behave." He met her scrutiny with a firm intent of his own. "Take the pills, and be a good girl when I untie you."

Her brow furrowed. "That's it?" Lewis loved to play games. He taunted her into giving him little pieces of herself. He baited her into fights and then punished her for it with a gleeful smirk. Now, he was offering kindness on the condition she behaved? It seemed too simple.

"I'll be gone awhile. Have to swap out the car, and it will take a few hours to reach town. Plus I'll have to drive the long way back, make sure no one follows me. So why don't you open your pretty little mouth and swallow these pills? You'll have a nice long nap. You won't even know I'm gone."

An uneasy feeling swept over her as she looked at the pills in his hand. She knew he wasn't asking for her permission. Lewis would shove them down her throat either way. But he didn't always want to force her cooperation. He liked to test her resolve, make her choose between fighting and surrendering.

"Hey." Lewis grabbed her chin. "I don't have to untie you or feed you breakfast. You can just lie here and be hungry all day. Makes no difference to me. You seem to enjoy doing things the hard way."

Olivia narrowed her eyes at his callous remark. He used the sleeping pills for the same reason she hated them. They were effective, both in making her sluggish and in knocking her out.

"Or…we could try something new, and you could do what you're told for once." Lewis set his lips in a thin line. "How about this? If you're a good girl, I'll bring back the bananas and give you a full bottle of water tonight."

"The whole bottle of water?" Olivia eyed him cautiously.

"Every drop," Lewis promised. "And you know I keep my word."

Olivia relented and nodded her consent. Ridiculous as it was to bargain her life away for bananas and water, her body needed sustenance. If taking the sleeping pills would keep her in Lewis's good graces for even a day, she would do it.

Lewis popped the pills into her mouth and tipped the water to her lips. "Good girl."

She swallowed the pills down, the water bringing life to her parched throat. Lewis took away the bottle after a few sips, water droplets falling down her chin.

He wiped the drops away from her chin with his thumb and set the bottle down. "Let's get you up." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the handcuffs.

"Please don’t," Olivia choked.

Lewis frowned. "Don't cuff you? Really?"

Her eyes widened in panic. "My shoulder, the burn will tear open if you cuff my hands behind my back. Just cuff my hands in front. I won't fight you. Please," she begged.

He raised his eyebrow in disinterest, his eyes falling to the newly formed blisters covering her skin. "Maybe you should have thought about that before you tried to escape," he admonished flatly.

"I said I was sorry for that," she implored desperately. "Please, Lewis. I'll be good."

Lewis waited a moment, searching her eyes. He leaned into her and put his hand around her neck. "Since you asked nicely, and since you were a good girl last night, we can cuff your hands in front - this time. But if you make one move," he tightened his hold. "Your shoulder will be the least of your worries."

Olivia managed a slight nod, the lack of air making her lungs burn. Lewis held his grip for a few more seconds before letting go. She gulped air into her deprived lungs, staying in place as he untied her arms.

Once the ropes were removed, Lewis snapped the handcuffs on her wrists and pushed off the bed. He untucked the gun from his pants and held it against her head. "Come on. Nice and easy, sweetheart."

Olivia bit her lip and swung her legs to the side. Lewis pulled her into a standing position, but her legs caved under her weight and sent her falling to the floor.

"Easy there, sweetheart. No marathons for you." Lewis pulled her up by the waist and held her against him. "Take it easy."

His amusement wounded her pride. Six months ago, she walked the streets of New York and chased criminals without a second thought. Now, she couldn't even stand by herself.

Lewis guided her stiff body out of the room and into the kitchen. The sunlight hit her in the face, sending a stab of pain through her eyes. The sun seemed so much brighter after spending so many hours in a cement prison. Olivia stumbled behind Lewis, his long stride difficult for her to keep up with. They walked by the front door, but Olivia barely glanced at it. She could barely walk. Fighting him in this condition wouldn't do any good.

He hurried her into the bathroom, clearly impatient for the next part of his day. Olivia relieved herself without fuss and obediently walked with Lewis back to the kitchen for her food. She made it halfway through her blackberries before her eyes started to get heavy.

"Sleepy already?" Lewis asked as she struggled to keep her eyes open. "This new bottle works a lot faster than the other one."

Olivia didn't reply. All her energy was focused on chewing this blackberry and swallowing it so she didn't choke. She should try to clear her head, shake away the fog. She needed to eat the rest of the berries, her body was starving for nutrients. But she was so tired. Maybe if she just closed her eyes for a few seconds, she would feel better. Her chin dropped to her chest, darkness once again taking over her world.

* * *

Amanda chewed on the end of her pencil. She had been staring at the pictures for over an hour, hoping something would pop out. They had hit another brick wall. The junkyard had confirmed an old blue mustang was missing, but they had no security footage for their lot. The police were fairly certain Lewis had taken it given his pattern, but they had no way to prove it. They also had no idea which way he went.

The DNA from the cabin had also come back, matching both Lewis and Olivia. The new blood sample that came from the house confirmed the initial lab results they'd gotten from the car. Olivia was pregnant. And judging from the amount of vomit in the pictures, she wasn't faring very well with it.

Brian had checked in on his lunch break and insisted on looking at the new pictures. The sorrow on his face had magnified with each photo, his knuckles turning white as he held the iPad. He had then made a hasty exist, making some excuse about traffic. No one questioned his reasoning. They all felt it. Amanda couldn't imagine what he was going through.

"Coffee?" Nick asked, holding out a steaming cup.

"Thanks," she said absentmindedly, grabbing the hot drink.

"What's bugging you?" Nick glanced at the board.

"The baby. It still doesn't make any sense." Amanda shrugged. "If the baby is Brian's, why would Lewis keep Olivia? He wouldn't care about her having Brian's baby."

"Lewis doesn't care about anything," Nick muttered with disdain, sipping his coffee.

Amanda studied the photos spread over the evidence board. Each of these women at some point had seen Lewis for the monster he was. As soon as that moment came, Lewis had turned on them with a sadistic cruelty.

Her mind went back to the first few weeks after Liv disappeared, when they met with the survivors who lived through Lewis' wrath. Amanda would never forget the haunted look in their eyes. Faded scars covered their faces and necks. They had shared their stories with detachment, their voice void of any emotion. It made Amanda's blood run cold.

Lewis stole something from his victims, something beyond the ability to feel safe. He had taken a part of their soul and ripped it out. He so thoroughly destroyed these women, he didn't even care if they lived.

"What would he get out of this? Why would a serial rapist kidnap a cop, torture her, and get her pregnant?" Amanda wondered out loud. "It doesn't make any sense."

Nick's lowered his gaze as he recalled a conversation he and Liv had a few months ago. Dread settled in the pit of his stomach. "No," he mumbled to himself. "That can't be it."

"What? What can't be it?" Amanda snapped her attention back to him. She took in Nick's defensive stance and his crossed arms. "If you know something that can help us figure this out, you have to come clean, Nick."

He shook his head. "No, there's no point. She barely talked about it with me. There's no way she would have told Lewis."

"Told him what?" She turned to him with an exasperated sigh. "Liv needs us to find her. Holding on to some personal secret between the two of you won't help her."

He sighed and put his coffee down. "Did she ever tell you about her dad? Her mom?"

"Not really. She didn't like to talk about her family." Amanda met his gaze. "Why?"

Nick could almost feel Olivia glaring at him, telling him to shut up. The cop in him knew this was relevant information, but the friend in him bristled at giving up this piece of his partner. "Do you remember that high profile case we had last year? The sports reporter, Avery Jordan?"

"Yeah, the one who got pregnant and disappeared with the baby," Amanda nodded. "That case was a mess. They still haven't found her."

"Olivia," Nick's voice broke. "She let Avery go. They found a private plane out of the country. Away from the baby's father."

Amanda furrowed her brow. "Liv let Avery run?"

Nick clenched the table. "She knew what it was like to grow up with a mom looking over her shoulder. A mom that had been raped."

She searched his troubled gaze, her confusion mounting. "Olivia's mom was assaulted?"

"Nine months before Olivia was born." Nick closed his eyes.

Amanda gaped at him. "Olivia's mom got pregnant with her from being raped?"

"Yeah," he tightened his jaw. "She did."

The missing piece finally clicked in place for Amanda. Olivia's burning desire to help survivors. Her hatred of evil men. The way she dedicated her life to putting rapists behind bars. Amanda glanced at Lewis' picture on the board and suddenly felt nauseous.

"It would destroy Liv to have his baby," Nick noted quietly.

"That's why he did it. That's why he still has her." Amanda put her head in her hands. "Lewis gets off on the mental torture as much as the physical. She must have told him."

Nick shook his head firmly. "No, she never would have told Lewis about her father."

"Nick," Amanda sighed. "Do you remember how unsettled Olivia was after ten minutes with Lewis in the interrogation room? That was when he was in handcuffs and she had the gun. Now? After four months of being imprisoned and tortured?" Amanda ran her fingers through her hair. "Even if we found her tomorrow, she isn't the same person. Not anymore. Somehow, Lewis got this out of her. And based on this timeline, he has known for a while."

He looked over to his partner's picture hanging beside Lewis. "He's keeping her alive for the baby."

She slowly nodded in agreement. "If it happened in the beginning, she has at least five months before he'll kill her." Amanda looked over to the sleep-deprived task force on the opposite end of the room. "We have to tell them, Nick."

He slowly nodded his agreement as she headed off in that direction. "I'm sorry, Liv," he muttered quietly. "But we're running out of options."

* * *

Olivia screamed as a white hot pain yanked her back to consciousness.

"You were right. Pulling your arms behind your back does tear the blisters open." Lewis crouched down in front of her, a cocky smile twisting his face. "That had to hurt," he smirked.

Olivia clenched her teeth against another groan of pain and glanced down at her discolored shoulder. Clear liquid trickled out of the broken blisters. It felt like a fresh burn all over again. She shifted against her restraints, panic bubbling up from her stomach at how little she could move. Lewis had transferred her to a chair. Her arms were cuffed behind her, straining the raw skin covering her shoulder. Rope secured her ankles to the chair legs, bringing back unpleasant memories. She took in a shaky breath and glanced back to Lewis.

He brushed the damp hair away from her face, a sinister smile lighting up his face. "Have a nice nap?"

Olivia recoiled from his touch and tried to even her breathing. Her eyes scanned across the room. Lewis had brought back a fair amount of supplies. Blue lanterns sat on the small table by the door, their flames casting a faint glow against the cement walls. A paper bag laid in the corner, and piles of rope were scattered over the floor.

"Ready for that water?" Lewis asked, holding up a new water bottle.

Smug excitement radiated from him. His eyes gleamed with a hidden intent that sent fear clawing at her heart. She knew that look. He only got this excited when bad things were about to happen. Her eyes drifted to the water bottle. Whatever he had planned, she needed water. Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, and she could feel a headache coming.

"Yeah," Olivia said hoarsely. If Lewis was going to keep his word and give her the whole bottle, she needed to take him up on the offer.

Lewis unscrewed the lid and brought it to her lips. "Not too fast now, sweetheart. You'll make yourself sick."

Olivia put her lips around the bottle and closed her eyes in sweet relief at the cool liquid. She downed almost half the bottle before Lewis pulled it away from her. Her eyes rounded as she swallowed the last mouthful.

"I know," he calmed her protests. "You get all of it. But I have something to show you first."

Her irritated gaze followed him as Lewis screwed the cap back on and stood up. He then moved to the side, revealing the bed behind him. She froze as her eyes took in the young girl tied down to the bed. She thought for a moment her eyes must be playing tricks on her. There couldn't be anyone else here. Lewis wanted to lay low. He wasn't stupid enough to kidnap someone else.

Lewis circled behind Olivia and started playing with her hair. He was saying something, but she couldn't comprehend the words floating around her. Olivia's focus remained on the sleeping blonde, praying to whatever God might still be listening that this was just another horrific dream.

Her mouth gaped as she took in the strip of duct tape covering the girl's mouth, and the blood trickling down her face. This couldn't be happening. Not again.

"Those head wounds, they always bleed more than I expect." Lewis's warm breath tickled her ear.

Olivia knew she should say something. She should try to plead for this girl's life, bargain with the monster bent on destroying everything in his path. But horror had caught her tongue and wouldn't let go.

"She isn't even from around here. Her car broke down on the way to Connecticut." He laughed and ran his hand down Olivia's arm. "She was so lost. No one will even know where she disappeared. It's perfect."

Olivia swallowed hard, the past four months of her life flashing through her head. "Lewis, you know we don't need her," she said in a tremulous tone. The detective in her had kicked in, trying to solve the problem in front of her without anyone getting hurt.

"Is that right?" Lewis kissed Olivia's bare shoulder. "You have another suggestion of how to occupy my time?"

Her stomach rolled. She cringed at the feel of his hands roaming her chest and took in a deep breath. "I'm all you need, Lewis. Anything you want, I'll do it," she bargained in an even voice.

He tanged his fingers in her hair and pulled her head backwards. "Anything I want, baby?" Lewis brought his face close to hers and kissed the tip of her cold nose. His soft lips travelled over to her cheek and then down to her mouth.

Olivia swallowed her disgust and moved her lips against his. This wasn't about her. She had endured far worse a dozen times over. She couldn't let him drag another innocent person into whatever game they were playing.

A muffled chuckle sounded from Lewis as he deepened the kiss. He loved her spunk, her tenacious attitude to protect others at any cost. He kept a tight hold on her hair with his right hand, leaving his left hand free to continue exploring her body. He moved his hand back up her breast and ran his fingers along her injured shoulder.

A choked cry escaped Olivia at his touch. Any desire to appease him was quickly replaced by one of instinct. The pain was too intense. She needed to get away from his hands, his lips. She fought against his hold, but her restraints were unyielding. It was no use.

Lewis finally released his hold and Olivia shuddered away from him. A muffled scream caught their attention, and Olivia's head snapped back to meet a pair of green eyes. Terrified green eyes. The young girl was awake.

The girl's eyes darted between Olivia and Lewis. Whether it was the prison like room they were being held in, or the sight of a burned and battered Olivia tied naked to a chair, the girl started to shake. Tears filled her eyes.

"Look who decided to join us," Lewis noted cheerfully. "Isn't she beautiful? Her name's Allison."

Their visitor shook her head frantically as another muffled cry sounded behind the duct tape. Allison started pulling against the ropes holding her down, the desperation evident in her face.

"You see, sweetheart? Her fear is so strong you can taste it," Lewis exclaimed softly in Olivia's ear. "That's the thrill of the game. That primal fear in my girl's eyes." He laughed. "She already knows what's about to happen."

Olivia watched Allison increase her struggle, panic taking over. Olivia shoved down her growing despair and turned her attention back to Lewis. "Billy," she tried in a sweet voice. "I know what you like. I'll do whatever you want."

Lewis crouched down in front of Olivia with a knowing smile. "You know, the only time you call me Billy is when you're out of ideas."

She bit her lip. "Just let her go, Lewis. I'm the only bargaining chip you need."

He threw his head back with a laugh. "Bargaining chip? Really?" He stood and walked towards the table. "She's not going anywhere. Allison has seen you. She's seen me, and she's seen this house." Lewis grabbed the gun off the tablet and tucked it into his pants.

"But you would have put her in the trunk, right? She doesn't know where this house is. And she won't say anything, will you, Allison?" Olivia glanced back at the terrified blonde who was adamantly shaking her head in agreement.

"Nice try, girls." Lewis snatched the duct tape off the floor and tore off a strip of tape.

"Lewis, listen to me," Olivia implored. "She won't be a problem. You can drive her back to wherever you took her. No one will know."

He took in her desperate eyes with a cruel smile. "She definitely won't be a problem, because she's not making it out of here alive."

"No, no there's no need for that." Olivia ignored the muffled whimper coming from the bed. "Lewis, just think about what you're doing. You don't have to do this."

Lewis strode towards her with anger filled eyes. He swung his hand through the air and slapped it across her face. "Bargaining with me, detective?" he seethed. "Did you not learn your lesson last time?"

Olivia winced at the sting erupting from her cheek. "You don't need to do anything to her, Lewis. Just listen to me for a second," she croaked.

"No, you listen," Lewis snarled. "She's not going anywhere."

"But –"

Lewis set his jaw and swung back for a second slap.

"Ow!" Olivia's head slung sideways as he made contact.

"I'm not letting her go. Besides, I'm in the mood for a new game." Lewis stood to his feet and walked around to the foot of the bed. "You don't want me to hurt her? Is that it, huh?" He took out his gun and pointed it at Allison's head. "I could just kill her now then."

"Don't!" Olivia protested, her voice cracking. Her eyes darted between Allison's horrified expression and Lewis' sadistic gaze.

"I'll be nice and let you choose. Letting her go isn't an option. So I can either kill her now and save her all that hurt you're so worried about, or I can have fun with her until she dies. It's up to you, Olivia." He moved to the side of the bed and put the gun against Allison's head.

Allison whimpered and closed her eyes, abandoning her struggles against her restraints. Her body seemed frozen in place, waiting for the inevitable.

Olivia's heart skipped a beat. Time seemed to stand still. Lewis couldn't ask her to make this decision, not for another person. There were days Olivia regretted her own decision to stay alive, living through a psychopath's daily ups and downs.

Olivia took in Allison's stilted breathing, the gun pressing into her head. Lewis had left the rope a little loose, just enough for a struggle. This wouldn't be a shock and awe lesson for Olivia. This would be a toy for Lewis. A toy he would demolish.

Lewis had long since hammered away at Olivia, cracking away pieces of her soul. Those cracks he created had spread into her heart, into her mind. Over time, sorrow had trickled into those holes. That sadness had become a part of her, like a second skin. But not today. Today, anguish took its place. Olivia raised her dismayed eyes back to Lewis.

"Well, what's it going to be, sweetheart?" Lewis raised his eyebrow. "Do you want me to rape her? Or do you want me to shoot her?"


	6. Chapter 6

"Well, what's it going to be, sweetheart?" Lewis raised his eyebrow. "Do you want me to rape her? Or do you want me to shoot her?"

Olivia's mouth gaped open. Her mind swirled in disbelief. Every cruel act she had endured flashed through her head. The touch of his hands against her body, the cold blade sliding against her skin…the crushing pain of Lewis forcing himself inside her. Olivia glanced down to Allison's rigid form and felt her chest tighten. She couldn't have another person hurt by Lewis. Not like she hurt.

"Make up your mind," Lewis ordered, digging the gun into Allison's head.

"No," Olivia choked out, the horror and disgust evident in her voice. As Detective Benson, she had told survivors to live, to do whatever they could to stay alive. But months of torture had changed her. Olivia had been torn apart and violently degraded in ways she didn't know existed. She had become someone new, someone she didn't even understand. And that new person balked at the decision before her.

"No?" Lewis repeated, the confusion evident in his voice. "I thought we talked about that word, sweetheart."

Olivia met his warning glare and knew she was playing with fire. But it didn't change her dilemma. She knew the pain Allison would endure if she lived. And Olivia couldn't be the cause of that pain. But the alternative, to end a life, was unthinkable. She shook her head. "I won't choose. I – I can't," she stammered.

Lewis narrowed his eyes. "Oh?"

Her lungs came to a grinding halt at the scathing look he gave her. Her mind screamed at her to do something, say something. Anything to appease him. Olivia swallowed hard. She couldn't do it.

Lewis frowned and turned his attention to Allison, intent on making his newest victim pay for Olivia's rebellion. He shifted closer to the bed and tilted as his boot land on something small and hard. Lewis sighed. This room desperately needed more light. He squatted down and felt around for the offending object. His fingertips ran along the cement floor and stopped as they brushed against cold metal. He picked up his prize, and his anger transformed into curiosity. "I forgot about that."

Olivia hesitantly watched her captor. His anger did not dissipate often. Given their current predicament, she didn't really want to know what had changed his temperament.

"This must have fallen off the bed our first night here." Lewis lifted the knife into view, the flickering flame from the lanterns giving it an orange glow. "That was a fun night."

Olivia raised her chin, a small tremor passing through her. She could almost feel the blade slicing into her, threatening to tear her apart. Her eyes passed to Allison, and she saw the hint of relief on Allison's face as Lewis removed the gun. Olivia licked her lips, sure that whatever Lewis now had planned would not end any better for Allison. "What are you going to do with it?"

Lewis pushed himself off the floor. "That is still up to you."

Olivia watched him warily as he ran the knife's tip across Allison's cheek.

"You see, guns have their place." Lewis started, grinning at the shudder rippling through Allison. "But they're a little too quick." He slid the knife down to Allison's neck. "What do you think? Should I slice her throat? Or just stab her through the heart?"

Olivia's heart skipped a beat as she registered Allison's sob. Lewis pressed the blade further into Allison's skin, creating a dent dangerously close to her jugular. Horror washed over Olivia. She knew that Lewis was waiting on her answer, waiting on her to choose the lesser of two evils. But her body had shut down. Her brain had stopped working. Olivia had no answer to give.

Lewis scowled at her silence. "Guess we'll go with slicing her throat then," he muttered. He lifted Allison's chin and slid the knife to the center of her neck.

Allison let out a muffled shriek and renewed her struggles against the rope binding her to the bed.

Olivia watched in horror as blood began to spill out of Allison's neck. Cries of pain and terror filled the room as dark red stained the mattress. "Stop!" Olivia cried. "Lewis, stop!"

Lewis ignored her protest, continuing to cut a line down Allison's throat.

"Don't," Olivia pleaded. Still, Lewis paid her no attention. The knife continued on its path. Olivia's eyes widened at the volume of blood coming from Allison. "Fine! I'll do it. I'll choose," her voice wavered. "Just stop," she implored.

Lewis paused his movement and met her pleading gaze. "Then choose." His tone was harsh. It left no room for argument, no room for excuses.

Olivia hesitated, grief filling her eyes. "Just do her. You know you want to. So just do her and get it over with." Her head lowered in shame, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Do what to her, detective?" Lewis pulled the knife away from Allison's neck, blood staining the metal blade. "After all, I do a lot of things."

Olivia cringed. He wanted her to say it. Deep down, she knew there wasn't a way out of this. Lewis wasn't going to let her win. Even still, her mouth seemed glued shut.

"I need to hear it from you, sweetheart." Lewis circled around the bed and came to her chair. "I'm pretty good at figuring you out, but I'm not a mind reader."

Olivia wanted to crawl in a hole and never come out. She could die in that hole for all she cared. Anything to escape this nightmare. But that was not an option. It was never an option.

Lewis grabbed her chin and captured her gaze, his cold eyes vanquishing any hopes she had of escaping this appalling decision. "The cut on her neck is shallow, but I can make it deeper."

She cast a look over his shoulder and found the stain of crimson growing at a steady rate. There wasn't enough blood to be life threatening, but that condition could change rapidly in Lewis' presence. Allison would die if she said nothing. And the cop in her wouldn't let that happen.

Olivia glanced back at Lewis and felt something crumble inside of her. "Rape her."

A slow smile tugged at his lips as a sob sounded from the bed. "There it is. That wasn't so hard now, was it?"

"You don't have to do this. She doesn't know how you like it. When you like the struggle and when you want cooperation. I do. I know where you want to be kissed…and touched. I know how to make it fun for you. " Olivia bit her lip, swallowing the bile in her throat. The things this horrible monster made her say. If only that's where it ended.

Lewis's eyes darkened. "Everyone has to start somewhere. After all, I taught you most of those tricks."

Olivia licked her lips, trying to keep herself present. "You should reap the benefits of all that hard work, then."

Lewis fought the smile tugging at his lips. "Some other time, sweetheart."

"Come on, Billy. I'll do anything you want," she tried to reason softly.

"Oh, Olivia." Lewis ran his thumb across her lips. "You already do everything I want."

Olivia's entire body cringed at the reminder. "Isn't that what you want, though? Why start all over with someone else now that you have me right where you want me?"

Lewis chuckled and ran his fingers through her tangled hair. "Getting someone new is a thrill. Their fear is different. You know that."

She was failing. Olivia's eyes darted to the newcomer who had stark terror in her eyes. Olivia was only stalling. All three of them knew it. Her eyes landed back on Lewis as he stood. Her mouth opened to argue one more time, but Lewis shook his head. She had indeed failed. One simple task, and she had failed. Lewis had killed so many people during her time with him. But this, hurting Allison, it felt different. More raw. She should feel hatred for Lewis. After all, he was the one who had put them in this position. But Olivia instead felt self-loathing wash over her like a tidal wave, leaving no room to hate anyone other than herself. She knew what was about to happen to Allison. And she knew it was all on her.

"As much as I enjoy our time together, it's time for me and Allison to have some bonding time." Lewis stood and reached for the roll of duct tape. "You be a good girl now." He slapped a strip of tape on her mouth and kissed her forehead.

Olivia recoiled from his lips and winced at the sharp pain her movement caused. Lewis stepped out of sight, placing his hands on each side of the chair. Olivia felt herself lunge forward, the chair's legs scraping against the cement. She grunted in surprise as Lewis pushed her until her knees tapped against the wooden bedframe. Bile rose in her throat.

"Front row seat for my favorite girl." Lewis circled back around her and sat on the bed, resting between his two victims. He laid his hand on Olivia's knee and tightened his grip. "Eyes up, sweetheart."

Olivia's eyes closed. She knew the rules. It was naive to think Lewis would forget them. Olivia waited a beat before reluctantly opening her eyes.

Lewis tilted his head. "One thing before we get started." He lifted the knife to Olivia's chest and pressed the blade into her breast, sinking it into her skin. A muffled scream clawed out of her throat as she registered the pain.

"That was for telling me no." Lewis rebuked harshly, twisting the blade sideways.

Olivia howled behind the duct tape, twisting to get away from him. She looked down at the knife and the dime size hole it had created. Tears fell down her cheeks as she pulled harder against her restraints. This wasn't fair. She was only trying to save a life. Why did everything always end with pain?

Lewis maintained his pressure on the knife until Olivia's struggles waned. He slid the knife out and dug his finger into her new wound. "You don't tell me no," he said firmly. "You know better."

Olivia let out another cry of pain, her face twisting with discomfort.

Lewis dropped his hand and wiped her blood off on his shirt. "Now then," he glanced down to a petrified Allison. "Are you ready for some fun, Allie?"

Allison's wide eyes darted between Lewis and Olivia, so frozen by fear she didn't even make a sound.

"You don't mind if I call you Allie, do you?" Lewis asked softly, reaching for the duct tape.

Allison winced as he ripped the tape off. "Please don't hurt me," she said hoarsely.

Lewis raised his eyebrow and looked back to Olivia. "Didn't we just have this conversation?"

"Just let me go, I won't say anything. I promise. I don't even know who you are!" Allison pleaded.

Lewis rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "You're not going anywhere, honey." He slid his hand inside her sweater, caressing her bare stomach.

Allison groaned and tried to pull away from him. "Get your hands off me, you pervert!"

Olivia winced at the masked fury igniting in Lewis' eyes. This wasn't going to end well for Allison.

Lewis raised the knife to Allison's chin, blood still staining the tip. "I can always finish slicing your neck."

Allison's breath hitched. "Please -" her voice broke.

"If you ask me to let you go again," Lewis interjected firmly. "I will shove this knife down your throat."

Allison squeaked and closed her mouth. She looked to her left, casting a pleading look to Olivia.

They were mere inches apart, but Olivia knew nothing could be done. Restraints held each of them in place. The time to help Allison had passed. She gave a slight shake of her head. There was nothing she could do.

"I know you're scared, Allie." Lewis said softly. He lightly caressed her cheek with the knife. "And that's okay. Everyone gets scared."

Indignation and disgust filled Olivia as she watched Allison cringe away from the knife. Just once, Olivia wished Lewis could be tied down, and she could have the knife. Or the gun. Or the blowtorch. Maybe even all three. She would gladly teach him what fear felt like.

Lewis slid the knife down Allison's chin and onto her neck. He dug the blade into the thin cut he had made there, drawing a pained whimper from Allison. "But if you're a good girl, if you behave," Lewis moved the knife down her torso. "It might not be so bad. You might even live for a few days."

"A few days?" Allison whimpered. Her body trembled, evidence of the fear coursing through her veins.

Lewis laughed and stabbed the knife through her sweater.

A startled cry passed through Allison's lips at the knife scraping her skin. Her eyes followed the knife moving back up her stomach, tearing her sweater in half.

"With what I do, my girls don't last more than that. Well, most of them don't." Lewis sliced the rest of her sweater in half and spread apart the green material. Lust shined in his eyes, his gaze lingering at the blue bra covering her breasts.

Allison turned away from him, tears running down the side of her face. "Why? Why are you doing this?"

Olivia's stomach turned. The heartache in Allison's voice made her rethink her decision. Lewis loved the fear, the struggle. And Allison was giving him both.

"You were just at the wrong place at the wrong time." Lewis watched her conflicted emotions with a curious smile. He moved his hands down to her pants and undid her buckle.

"No, no…come on." Alison groaned. Her belt slid out from under her and fell to the floor. She felt Lewis's hands at her stomach, loosening the button on her jeans. A rip echoed through the room as Lewis sliced through her pants. Allison gasped and started to kick against the rope holding her down.

Lewis growled and climbed on the bed, one knee on either side of her stomach. "Stop, Allie," he commanded fiercely. "Now." He closed his hand around her throat, watching her struggle against his hold.

Olivia cringed at the struggle in front of her. Lewis held his grip for a few seconds before removing his bloodied hand. He cut off the rest of Allison's pants, smiling at his subdued victim. Olivia tried to block it out, to go somewhere else in her head. But Allison's cries and Lewis' laughter kept her present in this prison cell that had become her home. She watched Lewis cut off Allison's underclothes and toss them aside.

Lewis leaned back on his heels and peeled off his t-shirt, adding it to the tattered pile of clothes on the floor. He unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants. "Are you ready for some fun, baby?"

Allison shrieked as Lewis lowered himself on top of her.

Lewis cast a victorious smile at Olivia. "Good call. She's going to be fun."

And then it was all over. His grunt echoed off the walls, followed by Allison's sob of horror. Olivia's shoulders began to shake. Heartache filled the room as Lewis started to destroy his latest victim. Olivia cringed as Lewis shifted. She should have tried harder, offered him something to lose interest in Allison. But as in so many battles she had fought these past few months, Lewis had won. And Olivia had lost. The only thing left to do was watch. She had caused Allison enough pain already. The least she could do was spare Allison further punishment. So Olivia steeled herself and determined to endure. Because there was nothing else to do.

* * *

"Just once, I'd like to have a lead that doesn't involve a hardware store," Nick muttered as he fell into the car, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Take it easy. At least we have a lead." Amanda started the ignition and glanced at the receipt in her hand. "Maybe we can figure out what he has planned. It evidently requires electrical tape, tarps, wood sealant, and nails."

Nick shook his head with a wince. He didn't want to know what Lewis planned on doing with the nails. His phone started ringing and he pulled it out, grateful for the distraction. "Detective Amaro."

Amanda folded the receipt in half and took a sip of her coffee. Circles lined her eyes, evidence of her exhaustion. Their team had been running non-stop since Liv's disappearance, but the last few days had developed into a heightened sense of urgency. She took another sip of her coffee and watched ESU swarm the blue convertible a few yards away. They hadn't found anything yet. Lewis didn't usually leave anything helpful in the car, but maybe they would get lucky this time.

"We'll be right there, thanks Captain." Nick ended his call and turned to her with a hopeful smile. "Another sighting. He was spotted at a grocery store about fifteen minutes away."

Amanda let out a breath of relief and buckled her seatbelt. "When?"

Nick looked away, frustration seeping into his voice. "Yesterday. But at least it's not a hardware store." He pulled the store's address up in his phone as Amanda shifted the car into drive. "The general manager called it in. He and the cashier who checked Lewis out are waiting for us. Apparently he paid in cash. Guess he's running out of stolen credit cards." Nick gestured to the right, and Amanda turned onto the highway.

They settled into a comfortable position and passed the time in relative silence, both detectives anxious about any new information they could get. It should have been a short drive. Maybe it was. But time crawled by these days. They were doing all they could to find Olivia, but Lewis was good. He kept her hidden. He stayed two steps ahead of them and never seemed to make a mistake. At least not a helpful one. And that made each minute feel like an eternity.

Amanda finally pulled up to the grocery store and parked at the front entrance. The hurried into the store, intent on following this lead before it grew cold.

The manager met them at the door, a tall man with salt and pepper hair. "Hello, detectives. Nice to meet you. My name's Chuck." He extended his hand.

Nick shook his hand firmly. "Thank you for calling."

"Of course. This is Sharon, the cashier I mentioned." Chuck gestured to the brunette standing back a few feet. "She recognized his photo from the news this morning. We pulled the video footage to be sure before we called you. He was here."

Amanda walked over to Sharon and held out a photo of Lewis. "This was the man you saw yesterday?"

"Yeah, I remember talking to him." Sharon crossed her arms, her eyes darting between the two detectives.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Amanda questioned, trying to mask the impatience coursing through her.

Sharon paused and looked to her manager who gave an encouraging nod. She put her arms down with a sigh. "He seemed nice. He bought about $150 worth of food and household items."

"Like what? You have a receipt?" Nick interjected.

"We fished through her sales from yesterday. She's pretty sure this one was his." Chuck handed them a long receipt.

Nick glanced through the list. The items were just as random as the hardware supplies Lewis had picked up. Bread, gasoline, peanut butter, bananas, towels, the list went on. "What is he doing?" he muttered under his breath.

"He said his wife was pregnant. He joked about her nesting, him having a honey-to-do list," the shy cashier offered.

Amanda set her jaw. She was so tired of that cover story. "Did you not think it was odd that he didn't have a wedding ring on?"

A pink blush settled on Sharon's cheeks. "I wasn't really looking at his hands."

Amanda rolled her eyes. "What else did he say?" she ground out.

Sharon shrugged. "Not much. I think his wife was sick, he mentioned something about bananas being her thing. You know, like when pregnant women want weird stuff?"

"She's not his wife! He's holding her hostage." Nick boiled with anger.

"I didn't know," Sharon looked down. "I'm sorry."

Nick sighed and glanced back at the receipt in his hand. "What is this last thing he bought?" Nick asked, handing the receipt back to her.

She scanned through the receipt for a moment before her eyes lit up. "That must have been the onesie."

"What?" Amanda's voice rose. She couldn't have heard that right.

"He bought the baby an outfit, a gray onesie with black writing. It said, 'Daddy's Little Helper.' It had hardware tools on it. He said his wife would get a kick out of it."

Nick bristled and clenched his jaw. "Were any cars reported stolen out of your parking lot yesterday?" he asked the manager tartly.

The manager shook his head. "Not that I know of."

Amanda flipped out her business card. "If he comes around again, you call us. He is armed and dangerous. Don't try to stop him and don't engage him. Just call the second you see him."

The manager nodded and put the card in his pocket.

"He seemed like such a nice man," Sharon said wistfully.

"Well, he's not," Amanda retorted. "He is a serial killer who kidnapped an NYPD detective 131 days ago. And if you see him again," she met Sharon's eyes with a firm intent. "You need to give us a call."

The cashier gave a sheepish nod at the detectives as they turned for the door.

Nick swung the door open and headed for the car. "We're going to find them. And when we do," he shot Amanda a look. "Lewis is a dead man."

* * *

Olivia winced at the loud slap echoing through the room.

"Please," Allison sobbed, burying her head into her arm. "I'm sorry! Please stop."

"Waving the white flag already?" Lewis wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Thought you wanted to fight? I can keep doing this all night, baby."

Allison cried harder and recoiled from the hand reaching for her face.

Olivia blinked her eyes closed for half a second, trying to escape the torment in front of her for just a moment. Time passed so slowly when Lewis was present. Even more so when being hurt by Lewis. As Allison was finding out.

Lewis picked up the knife and slid it across Allison's stomach. "You know, there's a few things I can't do to Olivia anymore. Wouldn't want to hurt Junior." He grinned. "But with you, Allie, we don't have that problem."

The knife slid into Allison's stomach and drew a thin line across her skin. A pained cry sounded from Allison as the pain registered.

Olivia took in a deep breath, trying to quell her growing nausea. She wished looking away was an option. Her stomach wasn't helping the situation either. Blood didn't usually bother her, but the musky smell of the cement room along with the copper blood filling the room…the nausea came in spades. Unfortunately, getting sick wasn't an option. Not with the duct tape covering her mouth.

Lewis carved another line into Allison's stomach, wrenching another cry from her. "You know, we could do something fun with this. Dress your stomach up a bit."

A shaken Allison turned her fearful eyes back to Lewis.

"What do you think about Tic Tac Toe?" Lewis asked mischievously.

Olivia gagged.

He turned to her and frowned. "What's wrong with you?"

She gagged again as bile rose in her throat. It was coming too fast. She couldn't get it back down this time. Olivia's panicked eyes met his disapproving glare.

Lewis raised his eyebrow as she started coughing. He pushed himself up with a sigh and peeled the duct tape off her mouth.

Olivia turned her head to the side and emptied the contents of her mouth. She gasped for air, her lungs burning for oxygen.

He watched her dispassionately. "I thought we were done with this." He glanced down at the vomit in annoyance.

"I need to go to the bathroom," Olivia croaked.

Lewis shook his head, his eyes still on the newly decorated floor.

"You know it doesn't stop, not once I get sick." Olivia watched his hand twitch as he looked back at Allison.

"Fine," he replied tersely. "Guess you get a break, Allie." Lewis sat up and noted Olivia's pale complexion. "You're pretty high maintenance, detective."

Olivia set her jaw. She didn't ask for this – a fact he well knew. But her getting sick provided a golden opportunity to get Lewis away from Allison. So she meekly sat still as Lewis pulled her chair away from the bed and cut away the rope securing her legs.

Lewis pulled her to a standing position, sending a stabbing pain across her burnt shoulder. A groan passed through her teeth as he shuffled her through the door. Of all the places he could have burned, why did Lewis have to choose a place that hurt absolutely every time she moved?

Olivia gagged again as they passed into the bathroom. Lewis shoved her head into the cement bowl as another wave of vomit poured out. She stayed there for several minutes, emptying what little contents her stomach had. Olivia hated being pregnant.

Lewis released his hold on her neck and stepped back. "How long is this vomiting thing supposed to last?"

She spat into the toilet. "I don't know."

"Guess," he said flatly.

"Usually the first three months." Olivia retched again, dry heaving into the toilet.

"Then why are you still getting sick?" Lewis asked in irritation.

"How should I know?" Olivia bit out. "It's your kid."

He watched a string of drool fall from her lip. "Yours too, sweetheart."

Olivia scowled and tried to catch her breath. She leaned her head against the wall and focused on slow breaths.

"Are you done?" Lewis asked impatiently. "I'm kind of in the middle of something."

She closed her eyes, ignoring his question. She wished she could crawl into this wall and disappear. Never have to deal with Lewis again. She could just vanish and be done with everything.

"Hey!" Lewis leaned over and grabbed her hair. "I asked if you were done!"

Hatred filled her core. She was so tired of being his toy, tired of playing his games. Before she could process anything else, her head swung up and connected with Lewis' nose.

He grunted in surprise as his head snapped backwards. The back of his head cracked against the sink, his eyes closing as his body slumped to the ground.

Olivia froze, astonishment coursing through her. She stared at his unmoving body for a few seconds before she saw his chest rise. The beast was still alive, just out cold. Olivia's eyes darted around the room, looking for a weapon. But the bathroom was bare. There was no plunger in the corner, no toilet paper rod to hit him with, no soap she could pour in his eyes.

What had she done? Panic threatened to overwhelm her. She hadn't thought this through. Her instincts had just taken over. What was she supposed to do now? Her hands were still cuffed behind her, and she had no idea where Lewis had the key. Hopefully, they were in his pocket, but his clothes were in her room. The gun had disappeared hours ago, and she wasn't strong enough to win a knife fight. A sinking feeling settled in Olivia's stomach. She would have to leave the bathroom. Olivia eyed Lewis warily. His legs draped across the doorway. Even if she could find the leverage to shove all of him into the bathroom and close the door, she couldn't risk waking him up. She had to leave him like this.

Olivia took a deep breath and stepped over him, half expecting a hand to snake around her ankle. Her feet landed in the hallway, and she let out a breath of relief. Her feet carried her through the kitchen and into the cement room she despised so much.

Allison flinched at her entrance. She shivered on the blood covered mattress. Red circles from the cigarettes lined her breasts and stomach. Bite marks were starting to bruise against her neck. All of it was evidence of the torture she had lived through.

Olivia slid to a halt. "Are you okay?" It seemed like a silly question given their circumstances. But Allison didn't look too good, and Olivia needed to know if any of her injuries was life threatening.

"Where is he?" Allison whimpered.

"He's in the bathroom." Olivia looked around the room, her eyes scanning through the various articles of clothes on the floor. "Where are his pants?" she muttered.

"What are you doing? Why is he still in the bathroom?" Allison asked in confusion. "What's going on?"

"It was an accident." Olivia knelt down on the floor with a groan and felt around for his jeans.

"What was an accident?" Allison's voice rose as she lifted her head. "What happened?"

"He hit his head on the sink. He's out, but he won't be for long." Olivia's fingers brushed against a belt. "Can you tell if these are his jeans?"

Allison looked over the bed and tilted her head. "I – I can't see."

Olivia threw her head back in frustration. "We don't have time for this."

"Untie me," Allison suggested hoarsely. "I can help you find them."

Olivia's eyes darted to the door. She didn't know if she had the time to untie Allison. She had to find the hand cuff keys and the gun. She was already on borrowed time.

"Why do you need his jeans anyway?"

"The handcuff key," Olivia replied, her anxiety quickly growing. "I need the key."

"Do you even know if they're in his pants?" Allison fell back against the mattress. "It would go faster if you untie me. It will take forever to find anything with your hands cuffed behind you."

Olivia kept her eyes on the door. Allison had a point. This was getting her nowhere. "Fine." Olivia pushed herself off the floor, lips closed tight against the groan clawing at her throat. She hurried to the bed and turned around, feeling for the rope around Allison's wrist. "It might take me a minute."

Allison glanced back to the door. The past few hours had showed her what Lewis was capable of, and she had no desire to stick around for more. "Just hurry."

"Do you know where Lewis put the gun?" Olivia asked, wincing at the effort it took to loosen the knot.

Allison paused and looked around. "Not since he picked up the knife. But it has to be in here somewhere, right?"

Olivia scowled. "We have to find it before he wakes up."

Allison tried to pull her hand free from the rope. "Finding the gun won't be very helpful if we're both still tied up."

"Stop," Olivia snapped. "I almost have it. You'll just make it tight again if you do that."

Allison rolled her eyes and stilled her movement. "Hurry," she urged.

Olivia bit her lip and pulled harder. "There," Olivia sighed in relief. "I've got it."

Allison slid her hand free from the rope and winced at the bruised mass of skin covering her wrist. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. We still have to get out of here. Untie your other hand, I have to find the key." Olivia turned back to the pile of clothes and used her feet to separate out the different material. She finally uncovered his jeans and drug it to the side with her toes. She knelt back on the floor and felt for the pockets.

"I can't get it." Allison pulled at the rope securing her right hand. "It's too tight."

"Then you have to try harder," Olivia retorted. Lewis would be furious when he woke up. She didn't have time for a pep talk. They had to move. Now. She moved her hands to the other pocket and felt something hard. She reached in and pulled out a thin piece of metal. Her shoulders relaxed. She had found the key.

Allison slid her body closer to the edge of the bed, using her freed hand and her mouth to work on the knot.

Olivia twisted the key in her hand to slide it into the key hole, but it fell back down to the floor with a clatter. She hissed in frustration.

Allison bit down on the rope and tugged on it. The knot loosened, and her fingers pulled apart the knot. "I got it!" she announced happily.

"Work on your feet, then. We have to hurry." Olivia picked the hand cuff key back up and carefully twisted it around. After a few misses, she felt it click into the keyhole. She turned it and felt one of the silver bracelets loosen. Hope began to kindle in her heart. Maybe they could actually get out of this. Maybe she could go home. She pulled her hand free and stood to check on Allison. "Let me help you."

"You two going somewhere?"

Allison froze, her hands halfway to her ankles. Olivia met her panicked gaze and cringed. No. Not when they were so close to getting out of here.

He leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms. "And here I thought you were behaving so well."

Olivia turned around and trembled at the sadistic glare sent her direction. "Lewis."


	7. Chapter 7

Olivia gaped at him, her muscles rigid with the tension coursing through her. How was he already awake? Her gaze shifted to the gun held firmly in his hand, and she was overwhelmed with the desire to throw herself at his feet. Beg him for mercy she knew he wasn't capable of.

"You really think I'm stupid enough to leave the gun in here?" Lewis straightened, his broad form filling the doorway. "I learned a long time ago never to underestimate you."

Olivia's fingernails dug into her palms, her eyes darting between Lewis and Allison. Her tongue refused to move, seeming to understand nothing she said would make a difference.

"Really though, what was your plan? Huh?" Lewis crossed his arms, keeping his finger on the trigger. "Get the cuffs off, find the gun…then what? You can't call for help. There's no phone. And the car? You'd never find it. And that would only be a problem if you actually found the keys."

"Just let us go," Allison whimpered.

Lewis sneered at her. "Shut up."

"Leave her alone!" Olivia jumped in, suddenly able to find her voice. "She didn't do anything."

"No?" Lewis pushed off the door frame and walked towards them, danger lurking in his light brown eyes. "Is that why she's trying to untie her ankles?"

Allison cringed and dropped her hands, her dejected eyes meeting his piercing gaze. She raised her trembling hands in an attempt to appease him. "I'm sorry. Please…please don't -"

"I said shut up!" Lewis rounded on her, crashing the gun into her head.

"Stop! Leave her alone!" Olivia insisted, indignation filling her heart. She took a step towards him, wanting to stop any further outburst.

"Or what?" Lewis turned on his heel, moving to grab her. "What are you gonna do?"

Olivia jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding him. His fingers grazed against her naked breasts, and the reality of her situation hit her full force. What was she going to do? Without the gun, she didn’t stand a chance fighting him. He had brute strength on his side. She could barely stand up straight. "You're right." Olivia put her hands up, hoping to calm him down. "You're in charge."

"Don't try to coddle me." He snapped, moving closer towards her.

Olivia's eyes widened, her feet moving backwards. His anger sucked the air out of her lungs, and her brain scrambled to keep working. "I – I'm not," Olivia stammered. "This – this was me. All me. Leave her out of this."

Lewis narrowed his eyes. "So you're not coddling me. You're just telling me what to do."

Olivia opened her mouth and then closed it. She couldn't talk her way out of this. She glanced past him, checking on the unconscious woman lying on the mattress. She needed to get Allison out of here but that wasn't looking promising.

Lewis sneered. "You finally decide it's a good idea to stop talking?" He took another step towards her, an evil grin spreading on his face as she backed into the table. "Nowhere to run, baby girl."

Bile rose in her throat, the wooden table digging into her hips. Her shaky legs threatened to buckle, and Olivia grabbed the table, anxious to remain upright.

"You don't look so good. Maybe you should sit down," Lewis suggested huskily. He put one arm on either side of her, pinning her between him and the table.

Another wave of nausea hit her, the baby eager to prove his father's point. She cringed and swallowed it down, inwardly begging the baby to work with her just this once. She could feel Lewis' warm breath against her face and turned away from his penetrating gaze.

"It's always the hard way with you, isn't it?" Lewis jerked her chin back towards him. Lust flickered in his eyes as he drank in the emotions written on her face.

Olivia's heart skipped a beat as she took in his furious glare, the sadism she only saw when the psychopath in him was at its worse. She had spent enough time with Lewis to almost read his mind. And as she searched his gaze, what she found there terrified her. She clenched the table harder, her shaky legs protesting her weight.

His eyes scrutinized Olivia, her weakness obvious. A slow grin spread across his face as Lewis lowered his head. He captured her lips with bruising force, his fingers digging into her chin.

Olivia groaned against him, her grip jostling the table. Glass clinked behind her, and Olivia's eyes flew open as she registered the sound. The oil lamp. She reached for it without a second thought, throwing it against his head. He broke the kiss as the lamp's globe shattered on his head, a shower of glass cascading around them. Lewis stumbled back with a startled grunt, the gun falling to the floor.

The smell of gasoline assaulted her nose. Broken glass covered the ground, and Olivia was pretty sure she was going to throw up any second. But none of that mattered. All she could see was the gun. She pushed off the table and lunged for it, adrenaline pumping through her veins.

A dazed Lewis saw the focus of her attention and caught her with a growl of frustration. She struggled against him, and their uncoordinated movements sent them crashing to the floor. Olivia landed on Lewis' arm, his body providing a partial cushion against the cement. She fought against him, the gun no longer a viable threat. Her hands clawed at his face, the silver handcuff still dangling from her left wrist.

Lewis furiously reached for her hands. "You just never learn, do you?" His fingers closed around her wrist, but his grip didn't have its normal force. He was still disoriented from the two blows to his head.

Olivia twisted beneath him and looked anxiously for the gun. She could feel her strength waning. Desperation clawed out of her heart, demanding attention. If she lost, Lewis would come down hard. Harder than normal. And this time, she wouldn't be the only one suffering the consequences. She spotted the gun and she set her jaw. Olivia twisted free of his grip and stretched for it.

Lewis grabbed her by the hair and flung her to the side. "Where do you think you're going?"

She cried out as her she slid across the floor, the shards of glass cutting into her back. Lewis was on her in an instant, pinning both of her arms above her head. "Stop it, Olivia! You're done."

His weight settled on her hips, ensuring she couldn't move. "Please. I can't do this anymore." Tears filled Olivia's eyes, evidence of the broken woman hiding inside.

Lewis shook his head, tension in his jaw. "That's not your decision." He lifted Olivia by the hair and slammed her head into the ground. His fist then collided with her face, causing an explosion of pain behind her eye. Her eyes opened in time to see another swing connecting with her face. And just like an old friend, darkness came for her.

* * *

Faint crackling reached her ears, pulling her from the blackness she had come to crave. A muffled groan passed through her lips. She felt like a hammer was dancing around inside her skull, the pounding of her brain making it hard to breathe. Her eyes blinked open, causing a shooting pain in her pupils. Blurry shapes and dull colors were all she could see. She winced and closed her eyes, turning her head to escape the light from the burning fire pit.

Olivia took a deep breath to calm her stomach and waited until the ringing in her ears died down. She slid her eyes open, blinking until she could distinguish the faded mattress beneath her. Her brow furrowed. She was on her stomach. Olivia went to reach for her pounding head but found her hand couldn't move. She raised her eyes and found rope secured to her wrist. Her hand was already turning red, and there was no slackness in the rope. A part of her knew that was bad, but she couldn't concentrate enough to figure out why. A quick tug proved her other arm was similarly restrained, along with her legs.

She searched her mind for what had happened, the reason everything hurt so bad. Olivia shifted and was rewarded with a stinging pain in her back. She let out another pained cry and went limp, the rough mattress chafing her blistered shoulder. She couldn't remember the last time she hurt this bad. Her eyes lowered back to the mattress, landing on a crimson stain. The blood stood out in sharp contrast against the dull white material. It was an odd spot for blood. It almost lined up with her neck. But Lewis hadn't cut her neck. Had he?

Olivia carefully turned her head to the left, taking inventory of her room. It was empty, lit in a faint glow from the fire by the door. Lewis had left the door open, probably to vent the smoke. Her eyes darted around the room before landing on the wooden chair a few feet away. Her eyes widened. "Allison!" The last few hours flooded her memory, filling her with panic.

She fought her restraints with renewed energy, trying to ignore the mounting tension in her head. "Lewis!" Ringing filled her ears, the room once more twirling in a sea of dark colors. But she didn't let that stop her. She knew what Lewis did when he was angry, and if Lewis wasn't with her, that could only mean he was with Allison. A fate she wouldn't wish on anyone.

"Lewis!" her voice cracked. "Where is she?" Her head pounded harder with each breath she took, making it harder to focus. She pulled against the rope, knowing full well it wouldn't budge. Not that it mattered. She couldn't just lie here doing nothing. Not when someone else's life was on the line.

"You were out for a while."

Olivia jolted at his voice. She winced and swallowed her groan. "Where's Allison?"

He sauntered into her line of vision, his face void of all emotion. "Away from you."

"What did you do to her?" Olivia anxiously searched his face for answers, not entirely sure she wanted to know.

Lewis came to a halt, regarding her with disinterest. He had gotten dressed, Olivia noted. He had even put his work boots back on. "A few things."

"Is she still alive?" The words passed through her lips before Olivia could stop them.

"For now. Though I don't think she's very happy about it." Lewis snorted.

Olivia thought her heart would pound out of her chest at the callous tone he used. "Leave her alone, this is between you and me."

"I couldn't agree more."

She cringed at the anger radiating from him. She had fought him hard. And lost. Twice. Olivia took in his appearance, wondering how bad he was going to punish her for this. A bruise colored his temple, along with a few scratches. Given the world of pain she was in, Olivia felt disheartened at his lack of injury.

"You're persistent, I'll give you that." Lewis rubbed his head. The movement raised his shirtsleeve, exposing the white bandage around his arm. He met her quizzical gaze with annoyance. "A part of the lamp got stuck in my arm. It bled pretty good."

At least that was something. A wound that showed she wasn't a passive little puppet. Olivia's eyes darted around the room. The glass had exploded around them. She remembered it flying everywhere. You would never know the room had been a disaster, though. There was no evidence of their struggle.

"It took me awhile to clean up your mess," he acknowledged. His hands clenched into a fist, his displeasure rapidly apparent. "Only have one thing left to do." Lewis smirked and looked to her back.

Olivia's lips parted as she realized why her back throbbed. And why Lewis had tied her down on her stomach. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes. This was going to hurt.

Lewis lifted the needle nosed pliers he carried in his hand. "Looks like I get to use these on you after all." He sat down beside her and ran his hand along her back. "You really did a number on yourself."

Olivia cringed at the feel of his skin. She could argue that he was the one who did this, throwing her across the floor. She doubted that would make a difference. "Just get it over with it," she ground out. She clearly couldn't stop this torture, but she could at least make sure he enjoyed it as little as possible.

"What's the matter, Olivia? Thought you enjoyed doing things the hard way."

Her breath hitched at the cold pliers touching her shoulder. She could feel the shards of glass now, how they shifted when she moved. Olivia knew they had to come out, but she also knew Lewis would make this process an excruciating one. "You act like you need an excuse to do this."

Lewis opened the pliers and set his attention on a piece of glass sticking out of her shoulder. "I don't. Not with you trying to be Wonder Woman over here." The pliers slid into her open wound and gripped the glass. "Maybe I've just been too easy on you lately."

Olivia hissed as Lewis stabbed the glass further into her shoulder before yanking it out. His words rang in her ears like a sick joke. The blowtorch, the knives, the endless assaults…how did he think that was easy?

"That's okay. I can fix that. First, we'll get all this glass out. And then, well…" Lewis moved the pliers between her shoulders. "Then I can remind you how bad life can be after you piss me off."

Her muscles went rigid, preparing for a new onslaught of pain. Lewis closed the pliers on another piece of glass and pulled the glass down the length of her back, creating a thin line of red.

Olivia screamed and bucked against the pliers. The pain rolled down her back, the glass slicing her apart.

"Easy there, sweetheart. Might not want to move when I'm this close to your spine." Lewis chuckled. He pulled out the bloodied piece of glass and tossed it in the bucket.

"Please stop," she whimpered. He had barely started and already the pain consumed her. But Lewis knew nothing of mercy. Not now. Not ever. Especially not after she almost escaped.

Lewis reached for another piece of glass, this time going for one under her shoulder blade. He dug the pliers into her skin, twisting the glass he found there. "You should know better than to fight me. You did this to yourself," he whispered smoothly.

A groan clawed out of her throat, the glass tearing into her muscles. "Stop," her broken voice pleaded.

Lewis stabbed the pliers into her shoulder wound, wrenching another cry from her lips. He grabbed her hair and yanked her head up. "You don't tell me to stop. And after the mess you pulled, you're lucky I don't tear you apart and break your bones in the process."

Olivia's head fell back on the mattress, cringing at the intent behind his words. She felt Lewis start again and buried her head into the mattress. He took his time, doing something different with each piece of glass. She lost count of the jabs, the cuts. The pounding in her head made it worse, every little sound screeching against her ears.

"There you go." Lewis stood and admired the bloody lines covering Olivia's back. "That wasn't so bad."

She didn't bother replying. She was too busy trying to breathe. Even still, something akin to relief passed through her that at least that part of her ordeal was done.

"Now that you're all cleaned up, what can we do to keep you from running? The blowtorch wasn't very effective last time." Lewis mused.

The relief flowing through her came to a sudden halt, and Olivia gave up on trying to keep her composure. "Please no more," she implored weakly, tears dripping off her nose. "I'll behave. I'll stop fighting."

Lewis rolled his eyes. "We both know that's not going to happen. So what can we do to keep you from running? Break your ankle? Your leg?"

"No," she pleaded.

He tilted his head and took in her wet face, the anguish etched into her features. "You're right. I'm not feeling it either." His eyes traveled down her body. "These cuts do give me an idea though."

Olivia lifted her head off the mattress, her anxious eyes following Lewis around the room.

"There it is." Lewis knelt down and picked up the black knife. "I think this will do."

She shook her head, an exhausted sob passing through her lips. "Please don't."

His eyes drank in her terror, curiosity twinkling in his eyes. He moved to the foot of the bed. "I didn't pick this fight, Olivia. You did."

Olivia flinched at his words. His hand closed around her ankle, pinning her right foot to the bed. The knife touched her heel. At first, she could only feel the cold blade. But the sharp pain hit a moment later. Her scream echoed off the walls as Lewis punctured her foot with the knife and pulled the blade up to her toes. Her brain didn't even have time to process the shockwave of agony before the knife entered the other side of her foot and made a parallel cut.

"Did you know the sole of your foot is one of the slowest areas to heal on your body?" Lewis tightened his grip on her foot, cutting a diagonal line in the arch of her foot. "It's partially because there's not as much blood supply."

She barely registered his words, her world narrowing to the ever increasing pain being inflicted on her body. His hands circled around her other foot, and she knew what was coming. Her pleas fell on deaf ears as the knife sliced into her left foot.

"But mainly, it takes longer to heal because every time you stand – you open the wound." Lewis slid the knife across the ball of her foot. "It makes walking very painful."

Olivia bit back a sob, burying her head back into the mattress. How could she have been so stupid? To think for a second that she could outsmart Lewis? That she could beat him at his own game? He had kept her in checkmate for months. Every time she thought there might be a way out, he always seemed to get there first. He always won.

Lewis finally finished his task, satisfied her lacerated feet would keep her in check. Lewis dug his finger into her foot, grinning at the tremor of pain coursing through her. "I don't think you'll be running anytime soon."

Olivia struggled to draw enough air into her lungs, the shock from her ordeal robbing her of the oxygen she desperately needed. She was vaguely aware Lewis had stepped out of the room. She was alone. If only she could find some comfort in that. But she knew he would be back. Back to inflict more pain. Back to tear down more walls. Back to make her more vulnerable. His footsteps echoed through the kitchen, bringing another wave of desolation to Olivia.

Lewis entered the room and walked over to her, taking note of the tears trickling out of her eyes. "What's the matter, sweetheart? Not enjoying yourself?"

Olivia's defeated eyes lowered to the bottle he carried. "What is that?"

"This?" He lifted up the bottle. "Lucky for you, I still have some extra vodka around."

Her brow furrowed. Confusion ran through her. What would he do with the alcohol? He didn't make her drink it anymore. She tried to think but found the aching hole in her head made it difficult. Her gaze darted back to Lewis. A smile played on his lips, his eyes focused on her feet. Olivia's eyes widened, her heart beginning to race. "No. Please," she pleaded with a cry.

Lewis grinned and unscrewed the cap. "Have to clean your feet somehow."

"Please! I'm sorry!" Olivia begged. She pulled against the rope circling her raw wrists, desperate to keep him this newest torture.

"You're only sorry because you got caught," Lewis retorted.

Liquid fire erupted on her feet, the alcohol swirling into her open wounds. Olivia pulled against her restraints with strength she didn't know she had. White hot pain spread across her back a moment later as Lewis shifted the bottle. Olivia's shoulders shook, her sobs coming from a hidden part of herself that she rarely let Lewis see. But she was exhausted. Everything hurt. Her body. Her heart. After everything she had endured, she didn't have the willpower to hide her emotions anymore.

Lewis lowered the empty bottle to the floor and ran his hand along her back, reveling in her distress. "I do love the sound of your screams," he whispered. His pants fell to the floor. He climbed on the bed a moment later. Soft words fell from his lips, his body settling on top of hers.

Olivia twisted her head to the side, his crushing weight making it hard to breathe. There was no stalling. No pleading. No bargaining. Just a grunt, slow and deep…filled with power and lust. Olivia was sure she voiced her protest, but she couldn't hear anything past the roaring in her ears. She clenched the rope holding her to the bed, her knuckles turning white. Waves of pain threatened to drown her, each one crashing over her with a force so powerful that no one could ever understand it. So mind-numbing Olivia could process nothing else. The hope she had felt not long ago was snuffed out, like a light switch had been turned off. Lewis was right. She knew better. Hope didn't exist. Not here. Not with Lewis. And as her injured body shifted beneath Lewis, she wondered if it would ever exist again.


	8. Chapter 8

Olivia shifted on the bed, her ragged breaths filling the room. A cold chill had settled in the air…into her bones. Lewis had put out the fire, something about too much smoke when the door was shut. She wasn't really sure. But at least he was gone.

A nagging voice reminded her that he would be back, but she pushed it aside. For now, she would welcome the silence. The darkness. A shiver ran through her, jostling her torn skin. A sound reached her ears, but she wasn't sure what it was. It sounded like a wounded animal, but that couldn't be right. She was alone and that sound surely couldn't have come from her.

Olivia's stomach churned, bringing a wince. People said the nausea got better after the first trimester. She sure hoped that was the case. Not that she planned on staying pregnant. As soon as she escaped, she was getting rid of the baby. She had made that decision years ago. After watching her mother struggle to raise her, Olivia determined that if she was ever assaulted, she would never carry her rapist's baby. That feeling had only intensified when Lewis showed her the positive pregnancy test.

Even as Olivia struggled to calm her nausea, she still couldn't believe Lewis had gotten her pregnant. It seemed like a dream she couldn't wake up from. In the beginning, her only goal was to get away from him. Escape so she could terminate the pregnancy. But she didn't know if that was possible anymore. It had already been four months. What if she couldn't get out in time? What if her team couldn't find her? She would be trapped with Lewis. Stuck with a baby she didn't want.

She wasn't sure which scared her more. The idea of spending five more months with him, or the thought of Lewis delivering the baby. Olivia groaned. She couldn't let either happen. She had to find a way out and soon. Her window to escape was closing. Her sluggish body responded to commands slower each day, and it would only get worse as she the baby grew. It would be harder to move. Harder to fight.

Olivia shook her head. There was no use thinking of escape now, not with all her injuries. She closed her eyes, beckoning sleep to claim her. Only, it wouldn't come. She had been subject to too much violence. Her brain refused to shut down, instead filling her with images of Allison. The horror on her face as Lewis bargained her fate. The accusation in her eyes as he tore off her clothes. Olivia knew deep down there was nothing she could have done, but she kept second guessing herself. Maybe if she had tried harder to distract him. Maybe if she had just –

A dull thud reached her ears, ending her train of thought. Olivia’s breath grew shallow at the light pouring into the room. He had just left. Why was he back so soon?

"Miss me, sweetheart?" His sarcastic tone echoed off the walls, mocking her misery. He walked into her line of vision and tossed a sandwich on the chair beside her. "Breakfast time."

Olivia swallowed the groan in her throat and eyed the sandwich. She couldn't tell if the smell of peanut butter made her hungry or queasy, but she wasn't eager to find out.

Lewis untied the rope around her ankle, smirking at her muffled cry. "Feet bothering you, huh?" He moved up to her head and reached for her hand. "That should make your next trip to the bathroom fun."

Her feet ached just thinking about it. She had no desire to stand anytime soon. Her eyes followed Lewis as he loosened the rope around her right wrist, her fingers starting to tingle as the blood flowed back into them.

"Roll over." Lewis leaned over and grabbed the sandwich. "You can't eat lying on your stomach."

She frowned at the sandwich. "I'm not hungry."

Lewis pushed the chair close to the bed and plopped down. "Oh, come on. Peanut butter and banana. You'll love it. My momma used to make it all the time."

She stiffened at his proximity, acutely aware her left arm was still restrained. "Your mom? I thought it was just you and your dad."

He shrugged. "It was."

"Then what happened?" she croaked.

Lewis narrowed his eyes. "That's not important. Open up."

Olivia studied him, surprised at his reaction. "Mommy issues?"

He snorted. "You're one to talk."

"At least I had my mom." She had barely spoken the words when his hand smacked across her face.

"Shut up," he hissed.

Olivia's lips parted at the danger lurking in his eyes. Whatever secret he was holding onto, she wasn't going to find it today. But at least it was something. A weapon she could hold onto for a rainy day.

"Roll over so you can eat the damn sandwich," he barked. "Now."

Olivia jumped at the tone of his voice. She needed Lewis to remain calm; she couldn't take another round of his anger. If he wanted her to eat, she would eat. She brought her free hand up for leverage, and slowly rolled to her side, careful to avoid putting pressure on her back.

"Good girl. Now open up." He moved the sandwich to her lips, his frustration waning as she took a small bite. "There you go."

She chewed slowly, not sure she could swallow it. She didn't mind peanut butter, but it was so difficult to get anything down her throat these days.

"Pretty good, right?" Lewis licked the peanut butter off his finger. "I knew you'd like it."

Olivia grudgingly swallowed and took another bite, deciding not to comment. How ironic it was that Lewis worked harder to keep her alive than she worked herself.

"Picked up a lot of food at the grocery store, things that don't need to be refrigerated. We shouldn't need anything for a while." Lewis moved to feed her another bite.

Olivia pulled her head away and reached for the sandwich. "I can do it."

Lewis tilted his head. "Trying to be independent now, are we?"

Her eyes searched his face, wondering what she could say to have a small part of humanity restored to her world.

He shook his head before she could form the words. "I feed you, or you don't eat. And based off how much you've been throwing up, I suggest you be a good girl and eat." His tone turned mocking. "For the baby."

Olivia dropped her hand, taking on a blank stare as her mouth opened.

"See? It's not so bad, right?" Lewis grinned and held the sandwich up to her lips.

She took the bite he requested and swallowed it down, finishing off the sandwich a few minutes later.

Lewis stood and brushed off his hands. "Want some water?"

Olivia nodded, trying to dislodge the layer of peanut butter stuck to her mouth.

Lewis moved to the corner of the room, fumbling through the pile of supplies he had carried inside. He tossed a blanket on the floor, emptying a few bags before he found it. "Ah, there they are." He grabbed a bottle of water and moved towards her.

Olivia's eyes stayed on the blanket, even as Lewis titled her chin back for a drink. The water swirled into her mouth, and she took a moment to relish the moisture.

Lewis tossed the bottle back in the corner and pushed her back down on her stomach.

She winced as Lewis tied her back down, a slow uneasiness growing in her stomach. She hated being restrained. Not that she had any say in the matter.

"Wait," her raspy voice called out, stopping Lewis as he reached the door. "Can I get the blanket?"

Lewis cast a glance at the fleece blanket on the ground, as if noticing it for the first time.

"It's cold," she reasoned quietly. Her body shivered, goosebumps raised on her skin.

"It is cold," he agreed. But he stood still, not moving a muscle.

Olivia set her jaw in annoyance. "Please," she said flatly.

Lewis smirked. "Be glad to, baby." He grabbed the blanket and shook it open, grinning at her compliance.

Olivia grit her teeth as he laid the blanket on top of her, tucking it around her. The blanket's pressure against her raw skin almost took her breath away, but if it meant being warm, she could deal with it.

Lewis leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Be a good girl."

The door closed with a thud, the metal clanks confirming she was locked in. Olivia buried her head in the mattress, anxious to feel something besides pain. Lewis exhausted her in every way. His words rang in her head, giving her something to contemplate. Maybe she should just be a good girl. It was the only card she hadn't played.

* * *

"Would you just stop?" Amanda cast an irritated glance at Nick.

He raised his eyebrows, following her gaze to his tapping fingers. "Sorry," he mumbled. Nick folded his arms and studied the tree line they were passing. "What if they're close by?"

She turned her attention back to the road, pressing harder on the gas pedal. She couldn't blame Nick for feeling anxious, but it made her feel like the car was getting smaller by the minute. "Lewis is smart. He wouldn't stop at a store down the street from where he's holding her."

"I know." Nick's head dropped. "I keep thinking we're missing something, though. Maybe something he bought. The receipts have to tell us something, right?"

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Other than they're hungry?"

Nick frowned. No, it had to be more than that. He took the receipt out of his pocket and glanced through the list again. There had to be a pattern, something they could use to find Olivia.

Amanda took another sip of coffee, glancing at the time with a frown. Each lead was so far apart, they spent more time in the car than actually working the case.

"What if we're going about this all wrong?" Nick glanced through the receipts, looking through the random items Lewis had bought.

"Hm?" Amanda asked, trying to calculate how fast she needed to drive to avoid rush hour.

"Maybe this is a longshot but hear me out." Nick held up his hand. "There was vomit in the car and in the house. Liv must be sick, so it can't be easy to move her. What if Lewis decided to keep her in one place for a while? Lay low? So he didn't have to deal with moving a pregnant hostage?"

Amanda took a moment to process his suggestion. "That does sound like Lewis."

Nick sat up straighter, encouraged they might have some place to start. "The things he bought, it's not his usual supply of torture tools. I mean, the food makes sense. They have to eat. But the blankets and towels? The wood sealant?" Nick paused. "What if he found an abandoned house or cabin? Something that needs a lot of work but is still livable. And that's what he needs all this for."

Amanda's mind began to race through the possible scenarios. "Didn't he pick up some oil lamps? And bottles of water? It might mean there's no electricity."

Nick glanced through the receipts again, trying to decipher the items listed. "None of the food items on this list need to stay cold," he confirmed excitedly. "It's all pantry items."

"Change of plans, we need to go back to the local precinct. They'll know more about the land in this area." Amanda set her jaw and slowed the car down. "Good thing this road doesn't have much traffic."

"You're going to turn around in the middle of the road?" Nick turned to her with an incredulous stare.

"It's no big deal. There's no cars around," Amanda dismissed, pulling off on the shoulder.

Nick pointed to the blue Nissan parked on the opposite side of the street. "Except that one."

"Relax, Nick. There's nobody in it, the driver probably ran out of gas or something. I know how to drive."

Nick shook his head and pulled his attention away from the abandoned vehicle. "I'll call the captain." His body lurched forward as Amanda spun the car around. "Are you sure you know how to drive?"

* * *

"Rise and shine, sweetheart."

Olivia blinked open her sleepy eyes, careful not to move. Her head was still fuzzy, but she had learned to take inventory of her body before using any of her muscles.

"Caught some sleep, huh?" Lewis crouched down beside her, running his hand along her arm. "Looks like you needed it."

"Since when do you care?" she mumbled, her eyes half closed.

Lewis chuckled. "After all the stunts you pulled, the fact you're still breathing should say something."

"What about Allison?" Olivia lifted her head, searching his pleased expression with a sense of dread.

He tilted his head, amused at her continued interest. "Still worried about her?"

Olivia let her eyes close. She didn't have the energy to keep up with him.

"Relax. She's fine." Lewis stood to his feet. "Well actually, that might be a stretch," he admitted. "But she's still breathing. At least, she was the last time I checked."

Olivia jumped as his fingers grazed her wrists, her body taught with anxiety.

"Let's get you up. Probably have to use the bathroom, right?" He grabbed the blanket and pulled it off her back, taking a few scabs with it.

Olivia hissed at the sting and held her breath as Lewis untied her wrists. She worked to relax her muscles, wanting to fight him as little as possible. The cuffs circled around her wrists as her arms were pulled behind her back. A few blisters broke open, but she barely registered the shoulder pain.

"You're pretty worn out, aren't you?" Lewis moved to her feet, untying her ankles. "Course, if you did what you were told, life might get a little easier for you."

She bit back a cry of pain as the rope slid across her injured feet. As much as she had to use the bathroom, she had been dreading this for hours. Lewis rolled her onto her back, and there was no blocking the scream that tore from her lips.

"Sh," Lewis whispered, caressing her face. "You're okay." He waited until she regained control of her breathing. "Now, we're going to get you up. And you're gonna be a good girl, aren't you?"

His harsh tone made her heart skip a beat. Olivia licked her dry lips and nodded her head. She could barely move. Fighting would only cause more pain, and she couldn't take anymore.

"Good choice," he noted. "Up we go."

Lewis grabbed her arm and pulled her up. Olivia's mouth gaped open at the pain sweeping through her. The pressure on her feet made her want to throw up, and her weakened legs protested her weight, sending her swaying against Lewis. "I can't," she groaned.

"Oh, yes you can. You are going to walk all the way there and all the way back." Lewis shoved her forward. "Maybe this will teach you not to throw a lamp at my head."

He half pulled, half carried her to the bathroom. By the time he threw her back on the bed, her feet felt like they had been sawed in half, and a trail of smeared blood lined the floor.

Lewis unlocked the cuffs and rolled Olivia onto her back, hushing her noises of protest. "I have to work on the house today. Board up the windows, fix a few leaks." He knotted the rope around her left hand and reached for her other arm.

Olivia listened half-heartedly, arching her back to take the pressure off her cuts.

"Since I'll have my hands full with the house, I need to make sure Allie doesn't go anywhere. She'll be in here," Lewis commented as he finished securing her to the bed.

Her eyes flickered to him, her back temporarily forgotten. "What?"

"Don't get any ideas. If either of you try anything, Allie dies the second I walk back in the door. Got it?"

"Yeah," she replied quietly as her stomach dropped. As much as she feared for Allison's life and wanted to make sure she was okay, she wasn't sure either of them were ready to talk.

Lewis grabbed the blanket off the floor and laid it back on Olivia. "Just remember, one move and – " he paused with a question in his eyes.

"Lights out," Olivia finished meekly.

"Good girl." He ran his hand along her cheek with a smile. "I'll be right back."

He crossed the threshold a minute later, dragging a sullen Allison in behind him. Olivia's eyes rounded at the drastic change in her appearance. Her skin had lost color, and her eyes had grown dark. Half a dozen cuts lined Allison's stomach, and burns covered her breasts and neck.

Lewis pushed Allison into the chair, making quick work of binding her arms and legs. "Remember what we talked about?"

Allison gave a small nod, keeping her desolate eyes on the floor. She didn't even flinch as Lewis pulled the rope around her, tying her stomach to the chair.

"All right then. That should do it." He kissed the top of her head. "Behave, and you may live until tomorrow." Lewis met Olivia's worried eyes with a grin. "You girls have fun."

The door slammed shut, closing their world in darkness. Silence filled the air around them, growing so thick Olivia thought she would explode from the tension. As much as she didn't want to break that silence, they had no way of knowing how long Lewis would be gone. This could be her only chance to help Allison. And based off Lewis' pattern, Allison didn't have much time left.

"Allison?" Olivia whispered.

"Leave me alone."

"Are you okay?" Olivia asked quietly.

"I don't want to talk to you."

Olivia's heart broke at the hurt in her voice. "That's okay. We don't have to talk about – "

"I said," Allison interjected firmly. "Leave me alone." She sniffed and shifted in her chair, trying to settle into a comfortable position. "Just because he put us both in here doesn't mean we have to get all chatty."

Olivia waited a beat, not entirely sure how to respond. The detective training said to empathize but compassion had no place here. Olivia's world had narrowed to the most basics of survival, at times whittling down to one breath at a time. And if Allison wanted to survive, she would have to do the same thing.

"When Lewis first took me," Olivia started softly. "I didn't talk much either. Didn't see much point in it. He got mad at everything I said." The memories flooded back, taking Olivia to a different place. A different person.

"I didn't know what was going to happen. It's terrifying. To be completely helpless. To know he can do whatever he wants, and you can't do a damn thing about it." Her voice faltered. "I was so angry. Angry at him for – for everything he did to me. But mostly, I was mad at myself for letting it happen."

Allison sniffed, trying to stop the tears from pouring out.

Olivia dropped her head against the mattress, thinking back to those first few days. "I kept thinking I should have fought harder. This happened to other people. Not to me." Olivia's voice broke, echoing through the cement room. "I'm sorry, Allison. I'm so sorry for what happened. But at least you're alive. Lewis was going to kill you. He was killing you."

"You should have let him finish," Allison interjected bitterly, her voice thick with emotion.

"No, come on Allison," Olivia said firmly. "Listen to me. We can get through this. Together. I don't think you really want to quit. I think you're a fighter. "

"What if I'm not?" Allison cried. "What if I'm not like you? What if I'm not that strong? Maybe I just want this to be over. You don't know what he did to me. The things he made me do."

Olivia's mind rebelled at the reminder. "I know more than you think." Her voice grew thick. "The way his hand grips your shoulder, shoving you down to your knees. The way his fingers tangle in your hair as he forces himself in your mouth. How the taste lingers for days."

Olivia's voice cracked. "I understand. The way he gets in your head, the way he makes you feel. But the things he makes us do, the things we do to survive – that's on him. Not us."

Allison let out a sob, her fear and sadness bubbling over. "I'm so scared."

"I know you are. And I wish we had time to talk about that, but I don't know when he's coming back. Lewis said you might live till tomorrow. What did he tell you? Before you came in here?" Olivia insisted, her own fears set aside.

Allison hiccupped. "If I was a good girl, he wouldn’t use the blowtorch again, but if I was bad, he would shove it inside me and rape me with it till I die."

Olivia shuddered, repulsion coursing through her at Lewis’s sadism. "He likes a struggle. If you stop fighting, he gets bored. And if Lewis gets bored, he will kill you."

"But he hurts me when I fight," Allison argued in a small voice.

"Yeah, he will," Olivia acknowledged reluctantly. "I wish there was another way. Believe me, I do. But Lewis gets off on the pain as much as he does the struggle. Fighting to stay alive doesn't always end well, but it's better than the alternative."

Allison mulled it over, sniffing away her tears. "Are you sure about that?"

* * *

Amanda bit her lip, her eyes flickering over the road map in front of them. "You guys have a lot of territory."

Detective Stiles combed his fingers through his hair. "We have to narrow it down. This entire county is made up of back roads."

Nick perched on the table, trying not to be dejected at what he was hearing. He glanced around at the busy police station, catching a few familiar faces. Lewis seemed to like up-state New York, so they had spent a fair amount of time with the Jefferson County Police Department. The people were nice enough, but it wasn't home. "Lewis likes it off the main road," he contributed. "We're looking for houses that no one has lived in for at least a few years. Something run down."

Detective Stiles shrugged helplessly and gestured to the map. "This isn't Manhattan. We have dozens of back roads, all with hunting cabins that are rarely used and abandoned homes that have been left to rot. We need something more."

Amanda walked up to the map, studying it intently. "Where was that grocery store at?"

"In Newcomb, over here off Highway 28 North." Detective Stiles pointed to the center of the map.

Nick looked at all the green areas on the map and shook his head. "Maybe you're right. This is stupid. We don't even know if they're still around here."

Detective Stiles turned and gave him a look. "I didn't say you were wrong," he pointed out. "We just need to figure out where to start looking."

"Start with searching homes within a one hour radius of the grocery store. Focus on roads with not much traffic."

Detective Stiles straightened and flashed a tired smile. "Sergeant Taylor. Didn't see you come in."

"Still working on that missing girl." The sergeant yawned, his face crinkling. "Did you get the BOLO out for that car? The 2009 Nissan Altima?"

"The BOLO went out about an hour ago," Detective Stiles confirmed.

Amanda frowned. "A Nissan Altima? Blue? With Connecticut plates?"

"You've seen it?" Detective Stiles turned to her with a skeptical stare.

Nick nodded. "About thirty minutes from here. Amanda almost hit it when she turned around."

"I did not," Amanda protested quickly.

The sergeant's eyes darted between the two of them, his amusement evident. "I'll send my guys over to get the vehicle's location. Good luck with finding your detective." He nodded at the map. "Let me know what you need. We'll do anything we can to help."

"Thank you," Nick shook his hand firmly.

"There's a missing girl?" Amanda asked slowly, her eyes on the sergeant's retreating back.

"Yeah, some college girl driving through town." Detective Stiles picked up a red marker and started sectioning off the map. "She was going to her uncle's place in Vermont, never made it. Her credit card was used at a gas station about an hour from here, so we were hoping she would turn up."

Amanda and Nick exchanged worried glances. "How long has she been missing?" Nick asked with a sinking feeling.

"Not sure. She's nineteen, you never know what kids will do at that age." The detective motioned to the board across the room. "That's everything we have on her."

Amanda swallowed hard and met Nick's concerned gaze. They walked across the room and took in the sparse notes hanging on the board. Amanda's eyes were drawn to the girl's picture, a smiling teenager with blonde curls. And right underneath that photo was a name. Allison Bryant.


End file.
